


Fate/Magnus Bellum

by 00Altair



Category: Fate/Apocrypha, Fate/Prototype, Fate/stay night & Related Fandoms
Genre: Action/Adventure, Gen, Humor, Magic, Romance
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-06-01
Updated: 2017-08-02
Packaged: 2018-07-11 13:40:06
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 15
Words: 161,315
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7054051
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/00Altair/pseuds/00Altair
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>On the eve of the Great Holy Grail War, Ruler summons a Servant of her own to aid her duties as mediator. Answering her call, Servant Saber appears. A knight whose ties to the Holy Grail War runs deep. Together, both set out on their journey but soon realize that such a task is not so simple as Saber reunites with two old acquaintances. This is their story, of a Saint and a King.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Act I-1: Summoning of the King

**Author's Note:**

> I own nothing! Now with that said, let's get to the story shall we folks? :D Also, please support the tropes page. I would like it if others filled it out more than just me and a friend. Thank you :D

_Standing within a cavern was a young man wearing a white suit of armor. He had blonde hair and green eyes. In his right hand was a broadsword of ornate design. That, along with his appearance, suggested that the young man was a Knight._

_Clenching his hand tightly upon the grip of his sword, he spoke._

_"What is this...!?"_

_Despite his wish, this was not something he wished to condone. Every moral fiber in his body telling him that the sight before him was just wrong._

_Inside the cave, numerous corpses, skeletons to be exact, were laid out on the ground. They covered nearly everything in his sight. In its center laid the object which he had been seeking throughout the madness that was the War he had been summoned in._

_The Holy Grail..._

_Despite its name, it was anything but holy. It had a vile sinister aura surrounding it. Just being near was enough to cause him step back in revile. How the magi who created that could ever call it holy... he just couldn't find the right words to express his thoughts._

_And during all this, he also saw numerous children lined up and slowly making their way towards the Grail. One by one, they fell into the abyss where the Grail itself was situated, and the artifact itself would glow once every time a child fell._

_However, one of those children wasn't standing in line. She blonde hair and blue eyes, and she wore a light blue dress while going barefoot._

_"Ah, Saber! Just wait alright~? I'll be with you in a minute."_

_In fact, she had a happy smile on her face as she watched them fall, telling them just before they did that they were being good children for following her commands._

_That child was none other than his Master, whose life he had sworn to always protect._

_Yet, after seeing this... and having been told of what the grail's true purpose was._

_He knew what he needed to do... and with that-_

_***STAB*** _

_"E-Eh...?"_

_Drops of blood began to flow where the blade stabbed her. She looked behind her and saw the blonde knight, the Servant who in her eyes was her ideal prince._

_"Sa...ber...?"_

_"I too have committed a grave error. Both you and the grail... truly you both are twisted existences that need to be erased!"_

_He retracted his sword from her and then kicked her into the abyss. As she fell, Saber saw that she had a somewhat serene smile on her face._

_The white knight had no words to say about such a sight. Thus, he remained silent as his master fell to her death._

_Afterwards, he knocked unconscious every child that were all still making their way towards the grail under his former Master's spell. He would have to bring them back up to the surface soon before he disappeared from this world. He sighed to himself that perhaps fighting for the Holy Grail was complete foolishness from the beginning._

_He then raised his sword, the blade glowing with golden light._

_"So the Grail was corrupt from the beginning...? Perhaps it should be made anew then...?"_

_Saber quickly turned his around and raised his guard, widening his eyes in shock as he recognized the person in front of him._

_"You're still alive...!?" How had he not sensed him coming!? Saber believed it was due to his being distracted with what had happened just now._

_"My apologies Saber..." The figure in front of him spoke. It was a man, but thanks to where he was standing and due to the darkness of the cave, one couldn't tell what he looked like. Saber however immediately recognized him regardless of the fact._

_"However, I cannot allow you to destroy the Grail. Not when there's a chance of it being purified of its corruption." He stated. "As such, I kindly ask that you step aside. Judging from the way you're holding your that holy sword of yours, I doubt you have any plans of using it for your own purposes."_

_"As if a vile construct such as this could ever be purified!" Saber retorted. "If you wish to continue on with your plans, then prepare yourself!"_

_"Very well then...!"_

_With that, the two clashed. A brilliant flash of light emanating from the White Knight's sword._

* * *

 

**SIXTY YEARS LATER**

* * *

"It seems it has begun once more, hasn't it?"

Inside a Victorian-era styled room were two people. One was a young woman sitting at a desk with her hands in a finger tent. She had a dark brown hair and eyes. She wore a light colored coat with dark red pants and brown boots. Underneath her coat was a white buttoned shirt with a large red bow tied around her neck. She could be considered quite attractive, but the cold look in her eyes dismissed such thoughts.

The other was a man who looked to be in his late twenty's to early thirty's. He had long hair that reached past his shoulders, and wore a red coat over the black suit he was wearing. Over the coat, he wore a yellow scarf. He had a stern look in his eyes.

The man was none other than Waver Velvet, otherwise known as Lord El-Melloi II. The woman sitting at the desk with the Vice-Director of the Mage's Association. Her name was Lorelei Barthomeloi, though she preferred to be called by her last name. She was known as the "Queen of the Clock Tower."

"Indeed, but to think that the Greater Grail would reappear once more..." The long-haired man responded to the woman's words. "Wasn't it destroyed during the last original grail war sixty years ago?"

"It was, by the very same Servant who won the war to be exact. The Einzberns themselves confirmed it." Lorelei replied. "However, information from sixty years ago and from a family that is already dead isn't exactly reliable. There could be a chance that while it was destroyed, pieces of it remained."

"And then someone picked up those pieces. Because of that, we have over a dozen grail wars happening across the world every few years right?"

Over the next half-century, someone created a replica of the Greater Grail's design and framework, and then spread the information of the process towards various magi throughout the world.

However, there was two majors flaws in their design that was shared by all the Fake Grails.

The first would be the number of Servants being summoned. Normally, seven would appear to do battle. However, the Fake Grail Wars would sometimes only feature only five Servants at best despite the leylines of some locations being suitable to hold the ritual. The second problem would have been that the Fake Grails were unstable. Most would suddenly break down upon themselves during the war, causing an end to the fighting and leaving the Masters who fought with nothing.

Thus, not one grail war has ever spawned a true winner. Though this hadn't stopped Magi from trying over and over again.

And now it was starting up once more...

"Still... for it to appear in Trifas of all places..." Waver began thinking aloud. "Perhaps the Yggdmillennia clan were the ones responsible for the replica grail wars? It would also explain why, despite there being already seven servants, more can still be summoned. The Leylines in Trifas would be sufficient enough for it to be a possible feat."

Yggdmillennia, a clan known for placing priority on quantity over quality. Over sixty years ago, the clan head, Darnic Prestone, participated during the last grail war. After that and a few decades later, the clan withdrew from the Mage's Association due to differing ideals in the pursuit of Akasha. There was a high probability that Darnic was the one who was responsible for creating the replica grail blueprints and spreading them throughout the world.

Though the question would be why? Why would he go through the trouble of letting others know of the process behind the ritual and create their own variations of the Holy Grail War?

"Waver Velvet." The young woman began. "Or should I be referring to you as Lord El-Melloi II? Either way, you have experienced participating in one of the attempts to replicate the Heaven's Feel Ritual and actually survived it despite your inexperience at the time. What do you make of the situation?"

"May I speak freely Lady Barthomeloi?" He began.

"You may."

Waver momentarily took a deep breath before speaking.

"To be quite honest? I say we're in a situation that demands immediate attention. Especially so since its the Yggdmillennia clan we're dealing with. As you know, they wish no restrictions on their research and have been against the authority of the association for many years. If we do not deal with this now and allow the problem to flourish, then we will come to regret it. Especially with Servants on their side."

"You sound quite frightened. Are these Servants so terrifying that one of your station would be afraid of them?"

"I've already seen what they're capable of first hand, and my general opinion of them is that they are not to be underestimated. My own Servant had the ability to summon his entire army as his Noble Phantasm. It would take a miracle for a magus to keep up with them."

The young woman known by the name Barthomeloi merely narrowed her eyes at that. Surely it was an exaggeration?

"I ask this of you. Allow me to take a group of Magi in order to take care of this problem."

She raised an eye at the sudden request.

"Oh? Are you wishing to reclaim a chance at getting the Grail then?" She said, eyeing the man's left hand which showed the Command Seal on it.

"No, I do not. I would just rather have this problem taken care of sooner rather than later. And leaving the Grail in the territory of the Yggdmillennia Clan would most certainly spell trouble for us." Waver spoke. "I also know people in this building who've had the Command Seals appear on their bodies but have yet to summon their servants. With their help, I can-"

"You're suggesting I send out a team of Masters then? What happened to the task force that we sent to investigate this event? Could they not handle this themselves?"

"Can't. They're all dead." Waver replied as Barthomeloi widened her eyes. "Though one of them manage to keep it together long enough to come back here before dying just last night."

"I see. Did he say something of importance?"

"A Servant had massacred them. Whatever's going on, if a Servant intentionally massacred a group from the Association, then it isn't anything good." He replied with a grim look on his face.

"A single servant massacred fifty of our elite magi?"

"Like I said, Servants are not to be underestimated." The long-haired man once more stated. "And given that the territory belongs to the Yggdmillennia clan, they're the most obvious suspects."

"I see." Lady Barthomeloi closed her eyes as she went deep into thought. A few moments passed before she looked up again and back towards Waver.

"You will have your request granted. The Grail is indeed noteworthy enough of our attention, and I will not take a massacre of fifty of our own people lightly. The ones who are responsible for the crime must pay in blood." She stated. "However, as you will be the head of this operation, you will be held responsible for anything that happens during it. Do I make myself clear?"

"Yes Lady Barthomeloi." Waver nodded his head in acknowledgement of her words.

"Good. Then go gather your task-force and leave as soon as you are able."

Wave once again nodded and left the room. He had quite a lot of work that needed to be done.

* * *

"What's the matter Caules?"

Sitting inside a room together were two young teens. One of them was a boy. He had brown hair and blue eyes, and wore square framed glasses too. He also wore a white jacket with black pants and shoes. The other was a girl who had long wavy hair the same shade of color as the boy's as well as his eyes. She also wore similar clothing to the boy. She had a cute appearance overall.

Unlike him however, she was sitting in a wheelchair, indicating something was wrong with her.

"H-Huh?" The boy spoke up when he heard the girl call out to him. "Ah, sorry sis. I guess my mind likes to wander a bit these days."

The two were none other than Caules and Fiore, children of the Forvedge family of the Yggdmillennia clan. Fiore was the elder child among the two, and thus, Caules was merely treated as something of a spare to his elder sister and being taught mostly the basics of magecraft.

Despite this, he came to enjoy magecraft itself although he never showed interest in it in the beginning. And in spite of the preferential treatment his sister got over him, and the constant comparisons between him and her that caused him some levels of irritation, he didn't really hate her for it. He thought it was only natural considering she showed far more talent than him as a Magus.

That and his sister was overall a gentle person, making it hard to hate her at all.

"Are you thinking about the Holy Grail War?" Fiore asked.

"Kinda. It just feels a little like a dream that out of all the people in our clan, I'm chosen to participate too." Caules replied as he stared at his left hand where his Command Seals were located. "I've never really been the ambitious type, you know that. And I don't really have any wish I want granted either... so I was just wondering why?"

"Isn't it already too late for that sort of thinking?" His sister smiled at him. "After all, we have already summoned our Servants, so there's no backing out now."

"Hah... I guess you're right." Caules stated as he looked at his sister. "And I can probably guess what your wish is going to be."

He turned his gaze towards her legs. Despite her talent, she was born with the inability to use her legs due to a deficiency in her Magic Circuits. It could easily be healed with the right methods, but doing so would mean sacrificing her life as Magus, a choice Fiore didn't wish to make despite desiring to be able to walk on her own two legs. Thus, the girl chose to remain a cripple.

"When compared to Archer's wish... mine is so selfish don't you think?" Fiore muttered with a sad smile.

"People are selfish all the time aren't they? And Magi are supposed to be the most selfish of the lot." Caules casually stated. "Well, even if I don't have a wish. I might as well help you achieve yours."

"Oh? You'd really do that?"

"Of course. Siblings have to look out for each other don't they?"

"You know Caules?" Fiore smiled warmly at her younger brother. "Despite being somewhat rough, you're quite gentle."

Caules merely blushed a little in embarrassment at his sister's words and turned his head away from her, causing the other brunette to giggle.

"Fiore."

Both sat up straight as they heard the voice of their grandfather.

He stood at the entrance of the room. Despite his age, he looked quite the opposite. He looked to be in his late twenty's to thirty's. He had long blue hair and eyes, and he wore an outfit just like Caules, though his had a more grander appearance to it thanks to the white cape he wore. He also had a cane in hand.

His name was Darnic Prestone Yggdmillennia, the Head of the Clan.

"What is it Grandfather?"

"Come with me. There are things we must discuss."

With that, Fiore did as she was told as she controlled her wheelchair with magic and followed her grandfather out of the room, leaving Caules by himself.

_'So what should I be doing now...?'_ He thought. _'I might as well go and check on Berserker. I think she was in the garden the last time I saw her...?'_

* * *

Both Darnic and Fiore made their way down the hallways of the Yggdmillennia Castle, going deeper and deeper down the building as they went.

"How is your brother?" The elder man began, surprising Fiore with the suddenness of the subject. Though she quickly replied all the same.

"He is well. Though he does wonder why he was chosen as a master. He said it himself that he doesn't really have any wish he wants granted. And I believe him."

"You are both fortunate." Darnic stated. "Had it been a Grail War of the usual setup, the two of you would have been forced to fight each other to the death."

The two came to a stop at a door. Darnic opened it and went in, with his granddaughter following soon after.

It was a room filled with numerous pillars with water filled parts of the floor as well. There, in the middle of the room, was a large circular object floating just above the ground. On it was something akin to a star shaped scar, and within said scar were the figures of what looked liked many human women.

At first glance, Fiore could guess what it was.

"Is that...?"

"Indeed, that is the Greater Grail." Darnic replied. "Or to be exact, it's a replica of the original. But unlike other replicas, this one is the closest to the original in every aspect and even greater."

"So the reason why the grail war is taking place in Trifas is because of this...?" Fiore stated as she gazed in wonder at the Greater Grail. "I half-suspected as much, but how were you able to make such a close replica?"

"Having fought during the first actual grail war, I caught a glimpse of it during the final stages. Unfortunately, the original was lost during the conflict but pieces of it remained enough for me to be able to understand it."

"Then the other grail wars..."

"Experiments of mine. One does not simply replicate an artifact of the Holy Grail's scale with ease." Darnic replied. "Though most of them were failures, I was able to gather enough data that I was able to create this. However, there are still a few flaws in it. And I think you can already guess what one of them is."

"The summoning of so many servants? I heard from Gordes that the Association is planning on summoning seven of their own servants, and that by teaming them up, they plan on taking this grail for themselves."

"Correct, though I'm not too bothered by it." Darnic began smiling. "In fact, I welcome it. The more Servants the Grail absorbs, the more powerful it will become. There is one more problem that would have to be addressed... one I did not account for due to my desire to perfectly replicate the Original Grail."

"And what is that?"

"The Ruler-Class Servant."

* * *

"Ah, Laeticia!"

Walking about on school grounds heading towards the front gate entrance carrying a large bag was a young woman with long blonde hair and amethyst eyes. Her clothes consisted of a white sleeveless buttoned shirt and a purple tie underneath a dark purple jacket issued by the school. She wore short shorts of a matching color as well as thigh-high socks and black leather shoes.

She turned around as soon as she heard someone calling her name, to which she saw another pair of students approaching her. Laeticia regarded them both with a smile.

"Silvia, Sirius, good morning to you both." She nodded as they came close. The two both had matching blonde hair and blue eyes, as well as looking somewhat similar to the other, a clear indication that they were both siblings.

"Don't you good morning us!" Silvia exclaimed. "What's this we're hearing about you suddenly going to England all of a sudden!?"

"Indeed. It's not like you to plan something like this so suddenly." Sirius added. "Did something come up?"

"Something of the sort. There are a few things I need to take care of there. And afterwards, I'll be heading to Romania next." Laeticia replied.

"Wait..! First England and then Romania...?" The other blonde girl cried out in surprise. "How long are you supposed to be gone?"

"Within two weeks if everything goes well, but I'm not really sure."

"And the Professors are letting you go just like that?" The blonde male inquired.

"Yes." Laeticia nodded in reply. "They were very kind as to allow me to. So long as I do the assigned homework they gave me, then I'm allowed to be as gone as I like."

"Seriously? That feels a little like an extended vacation. I'm feeling a little jealous~" Silvia pouted as she crossed her arms.

"Ahaha, trust me. My trip is no vacation." Laeticia laughed slightly. "If you the two of you don't mind, then I must be leaving. The sooner I make my journey, the sooner I can be back after all."

With that, the blonde with amethyst eyes left, leaving the two siblings by themselves.

"Say Silvia,"

"Hmm? What is it Brother?"

The blonde girl looked towards her elder sibling, who currently looked like he was thinking of something rather deeply.

"Just now... didn't Laeticia seem a little off to you?"

"Hmm? What do you mean by that?" His sister asked, a curious look on her face. "Laeticia is the same as always isn't she?"

"Perhaps you're right." The elder male shrugged. "Come, we should get to classes soon."

"Ah, wait up!"

* * *

It was strange.

One day, for some reason, she found herself standing in the middle of a bedroom staring at herself in the mirror. Outside the bedroom window was a city. But unlike the cities that she knew, the buildings she saw were of a different shape, and some of them even reached far into the sky. The people down below she saw from her room were so many that they nearly filled the streets in its entirety.

"I am... a Ruler-Class Servant."

She spoke those words to herself as she realized her situation.

The Holy Grail War.

A conflict created by Magi in order to attain the legendary artifact known as the Holy Grail which had the ability to grant wishes. However, in order for it to appear in the first place, the Magi created a system that allowed them to summon the spirits of legendary heroes long dead back into the realm of the living in temporary containers. The heroic spirits that were contained in this temporary containers were called Servants, and the ones who held authority over them were known simply as Masters.

There were seven classes that a Servant can be categorized into. They were the following...

Saber, Servant of the Sword...

Archer, Servant of the Bow...

Lancer, Servant of the Spear...

Rider, Servant of the Mount...

Caster, Servant of Magic...

Assassin, Servant of the Shadows...

Berserker, Servant of Madness...

The Holy Grail itself can only be utilized by a Master, but at the same time it could only be held by a Servant. And thus, along with the knowledge that the grail itself can only grant the wish of single pair and would only appear when six servants have been vanquished, the Holy Grail War became a reality with seven servants and masters battling each other until only one of each remained.

However, there was also a unique class among the seven that were summoned. This class was known as the Ruler class, whose role was to ensure that the Holy Grail War was fought justly. Unlike the earlier seven, the requirements in order to be summoned as a Ruler would be that the Heroic Spirit in question doesn't have a wish they want granted in the first place, and must act as a neutral party during the conflict.

They were also granted special Command Seals that had authority over servants and can make them obey her will if the need arise, one of the reasons why the class was called Ruler to begin with. And they can only be summoned during special circumstances in which there was a chance of the Grail War growing out of control.

This much, she knew from the knowledge that the grail itself provided for her. Thus, she knew that there was something going on that caused her to be summoned in the first place. However, there was only one thing that concerning her at the moment.

"Why is it... that I have possessed a body?"

She asked herself that question time and again. As a Servant, she should have had the ability to go into spirit form, but for some reason, she couldn't. Not only that, but because she possessed a human body, she had the needs of one as well. Eating and sleeping... these were factors she would need to attend to unless her body functions start to fail on her. Despite this, she still retained all her capabilities as a servant.

The name of the girl whose body she was currently possessing was Laeticia, a student studying in France. She bore a resemblance to her, in both physical and spiritual aspects, as well as having a strong belief in God and his teachings. This was the reason why Ruler was able to possess the girl as easily as she did, though it was more akin to her asking and the girl agreeing, with Laeticia's body changing slightly in order to properly accommodate her soul.

However, when she did, she became the dominant host with Laeticia taking a back seat deep within reaches of her mind. Her essence becoming something akin to a conscience that people would speak about that's telling them what's right and wrong most of the time.

Information from the Grail informed her that despite possessing the body, any harm done to it would heal just as easily if she had a spiritual body. And should Ruler perish during the Grail War, Laeticia's body would be revived upon her death and if need be, transported back to her home in France for safety issues.

That alone caused Ruler to sigh somewhat in relief since it basically told her not to worry about the girl.

The grail also informed her in a way that she was to summon a servant of her own, telling her it was necessary, even providing her with knowledge on how to do so. She would only need to draw a summoning circle and the grail would do the rest for her. After that, she would only need to say a few words of her choice in order to beckon forth the Servant coming from the Throne of Heroes.

Ruler couldn't but wonder why she needed to do so. When she used her abilities, she sensed that there was indeed something wrong. Normally, only seven servants would be summoned. But for some reason, she could sense more than the expected number.

At the very least, she could sense at least fourteen Servants.

It was a great abnormality. Just one Servant alone could perhaps take on an army by themselves. But fourteen of them?

Perhaps this was why she had been summoned. However, this was not the only abnormality she detected. Though she could feel the presence of the fourteen Servants through their connection to the grail, there was also something lack in that connection.

Taking a moment to look herself in the mirror once more, she turned around while undoing the blouse that her host had been wearing up until that point, in order to gaze at her back. Revealing a set of red tattoos formed in the shape of four wings.

These were none other than the Command Seals that gave her authority over the Fourteen Servants in the war. The problem was however that despite their presence, she could not feel their connection to the fourteen heroes that were summoned already. Knowing this, perhaps this was why the grail wanted her to summon a Servant of her own. Right now, she was incredibly vulnerable.

"Fourteen Servants... and my authority lost."

After she had summoned her Servant, her first order of business would be to discover why her authority was lost. To that end, she needed to find the grail. She knew that it wouldn't be an easy task, there were too many things that remained unknown to her.

However, on her name as **Jeanne d'Arc** , she would not fail.

* * *

"So... this is the land of the Englishmen?"

Those were the words she first spoke when she arrived in Somerset, England.

Unlike France, England had a different feel to it. Perhaps it was merely due to the fact that it was another country altogether. On the other hand, perhaps it was also due to the fact that she was now in the land of the people whose ancestors burned her at the stake. It was a very strange feeling.

It wasn't as though she held a grudge against those who executed her. Far from it in fact. She merely thought of their actions as the result of them following their own beliefs. And at the very least, she could respect those beliefs even if it resulted in her own end.

She was also quite glad that she was now once again on the ground though her legs felt heavy since she had been sitting the whole time during her flight. She spent the time thinking about the Grail War while at the same time she prayed for a safe journey. Although she understood the concept of airplanes through the information provided for her by the Grail, it was a different from actually riding one. She disliked the feeling somewhat.

Jeanne sulked slightly at the fact that, since her journey would still take her to another country, it meant riding on another plane after her business in England was finished.

Not long after arriving, she made her way towards the town of Glastonbury, the location of which she was instructed by the Grail to go to in order to summon a Servant. Despite having no catalyst, she would just have to have faith in God that her summoning would result in someone she can rely on in the future. It didn't really matter to her if the person was weak or strong even if she preferred the latter due to it being more advantageous.

So long as it was someone she could work with, it would ease her troubles.

She sat by herself, quietly enjoying the scenery that passed by, on the bed of a pickup truck she was hitchhiking on. If she were to compare the vehicle to a horse, then she would assume that the truck was nearing the end of it's usefulness to the owner. Deciding to pass the time by doing Laeticia's homework like she promised, she reached into her bag and pulled out a book.

"For a simple farmhand such as myself to have a chance to be educated... the world has become a wonderful place indeed."

Having been a peasant girl before taking up arms, Jeanne was never really educated aside from the basic things her parents taught her. The Grail provided her with information that would allow her to survive in the modern world, such as reading for one, which was a skill that she lacked in life. It was a skill which she had given up on learning due to her own illiteracy. The best she could manage was writing her name down.

Moving on, it did not grant her the knowledge of what the book in her hands was about. She only knew as much as Laeticia herself. With that, Jeanne aspired to do her best for the sake of the girl whose life was being inconvenienced due to her presence.

"The Once and Future King by T.H. White..."

It was a book about King Arthur... probably the most well known hero to be associated with the title of King. One of Laeticia's assignments was to do an essay about the characters in the story and what her idea of them was, and apparently she was quite invested in it given that Jeanne had memories of the girl and her like for Knightly figures in general.

Thinking about if more clearly... with the location of which where she would be summoning a servant was Glastonbury, the place of which where King Arthur's "grave" was located... there was a very high chance that the grail wanted her to summon the legendary King of Knights as a Servant. And with the location where he would be summoned being the very country where his legend originated, he would receive a significant boost in power.

Then again, she could end up summoning any member of the Round Table. And some of them were legends in their own right. Either way, being summoned in their homeland would guarantee any British Hero receiving a boost in power. And that would work well in her favor.

She decided to ignore the subject for now as she began reading. Just like how knowledge from Laeticia was shared to Jeanne, any knowledge she learned herself would do the same for Laeticia. And while both had differing views, Jeanne still had a general idea of what she would think due to sharing the same body at the moment. All she would need to do would be to write those thoughts down.

* * *

From afar, two individuals watched as Ruler rode towards her destination.

"Geez... so that's Ruler eh? She looks like a delicate young thing doesn't she? Kinda hard to believe it that she's the mediator for this War, right pal?" One of them stated. He wore a dirty green cloak with a hood over his head. Underneath, he wore green armor.

"..."

His partner on the other hand wore black armor instead, and remained in silence after his companion spoke.

"Man... why did I have to get paired up with you of all people? Assassin or Lancer would have been better partners to have" He complained. "But then again I guess the Lady Queen is too busy with making sure that Castle of hers is perfect, and the boss probably wants to save Lancer for later."

"..."

"Gah, now I feel like I'm just talking to myself." The former stated as he gave up making conversation with his partner. "I just hope night comes quick before I start going crazy on myself."

Unknown to him, if there was one thing his partner was thinking about other than performing his task at hand, it was the fact that the man in green was very noisy.

* * *

When she finally arrived at the small town, she took in the sight of the rural location.

She preferred places like this compared to the big city. It reminded her somewhat of the place where she lived as a peasant girl. She then ate a small meal at a local restaurant before anything else as she was starting to feel hungry. Afterwards though...

"Now then... where should I be going?"

Although the Grail told her to come here, it didn't say where she would be summoning a servant. That was completely up to her. And she also needed to do it quick. Night time was nearing, and often bad things would happen during the night if one wasn't careful.

"..."

"Huh...?"

She felt something nudging itself upon her legs. When she looked down to see what it was, she saw a small four legged creature that somewhat resembled a cross between a dog, a rabbit, and a squirrel. It had white blue fur with purple tinted ears, and said fur was quite fluffy in appearance too. It even had a ribbon and small blue capelet tied around its neck. Jeanne couldn't help but admit that she found the creature before her to be quite adorable.

"Ah, hello there little one."

She crouched down in order to pet it. There wasn't any harm in petting it right? She couldn't feel any hostile intent coming from it at all.

Before she could however, it quickly moved away from her. When she saw it looking at her, it moved further once more. Jeanne realized that the small creature was motioning for her to follow it.

Although she had no real reason to, she did so anyway. She kept moving and moving, unaware of her surroundings or rather choosing to ignore all of it. She didn't know why she was following it, but something inside her told her to.

When she finally came to a stop, she noticed that in front of her was an old church. On the steps to its entrance was the small creature, ever licking itself every now and then.

She looked inside saw that it looked rather decrepit, telling her that it was abandoned.

This was the perfect place for her to do her summoning! She looked back at the small creature, who tilted its head to the side once it noticed her gaze upon it.

"You led me here?" She asked as she crouched down to its level once more. "Thank you."

However, when her hand made contact on its head...

"AH!" Jeanne yelped in pain as she retracted her hand and looked at it. There were no injuries, but she could feel a burning sensation go through her entire being the moment she made contact.

When she tried looking at the small creature once more, it had already disappeared from sight.

Whatever it was, it was most definitely not normal. Although, she was still convinced that it meant her no harm despite the strange action that had just occurred.

* * *

"Such a strange feeling this is..."

Jeanne sat inside the church watching the magic circle glow with power in the center of the room. Since she wasn't a magus, she couldn't really tell if it was working. She perfectly followed every single instruction the grail gave her when she was first summoned, but she still wasn't quite sure. All she did know was that mana began accumulating, so it had to working one way or another right?

Currently, she was also wearing her battle dress. It was dark purple outfit with a long skirt that was slit high enough to reveal her right leg, the ensemble was covered in several pieces of armor. On her head dangle a metal headpiece of intricate design. Wearing it made her feel somewhat more secure.

"I know why, but to be in this world yet again... could it be God's hand guiding events to make such a feat possible?" She mumbled to herself as she widened her eyes in realization. "Ah, that reminds me...!"

She hadn't been able to do so since she left France and arrived here, her thoughts about the Grail War distracting her to such a point. It was better late than never after all, the one she did on the plane ride was more for herself and the other passengers safety rather than anything else.

With that, Jeanne knelt on the altar and began praying.

She didn't really mind the conditions of where she prayed. So long as she did, that was what mattered. To her, praying was as important as breathing. Not a single day passed where she didn't pray.

When asked why she always did so by her comrades of old, she would respond that there was no particular reason. It was merely her offering a prayer to the lord. She also believed that so long as she kept praying, perhaps the sorrow and lament of God for the sake of his children would lessen if only a little.

"...!?"

Jeanne quickly stood up, every fiber of her being on alert as she sensed a hostile presence.

And it wasn't just any hostile presence... it was that of a Servant's!

_'There are two of them... and they're coming here!'_ She thought as she ran outside the church. The fact that there were two hostile servants in the area and heading directly for the area could not be a coincidence.

However...

"Why...? There should only be fourteen... so why am I sensing two more?"

As Ruler, she should be able to feel the presence of all Servants summoned during the Grail War. While the command seals on her body lacked a connection towards the Servants in question, she could still feel them existing. Though she couldn't pinpoint their exact location if they were not in a 10-km radius.

***WHOOSH***

"...!"

***SLASH***

She quickly drew her sword and struck down several arrows directed at her skull. Eyeing the way they came, she spotted someone, a man from what she could make out, a good distance away wielding what looked liked to be a cross bow.

He was an Archer-Class Servant without a doubt to be able to shoot someone from afar.

"Who are you...!? Why do you choose to attack me!?" She demanded as she knew for a fact he could hear her.

* * *

On the other hand... Archer had different thoughts.

"Damn, so she noticed me."

He clicked his tongue as he began reloading his crossbow. Right now, he should've been invisible to Ruler as he had his cloak on. Perhaps it was one of her class abilities that allowed her to see him. Knowing that, Archer should've expected it.

Not like it would help her or anything...

"Well, I guess it's your time to shine partner."

* * *

"...!?"

***SMASH***

Jeanne quickly jumped as she avoided being slammed with what looked like a tree trunk. When she saw who was holding it, there stood a rather tall person wearing what looked liked black armor from head-to-toe. However, the view was obscured by a black aura.

The growling he made as he looked in her direction confirmed that he was a Berserker-Class Servant. And thanks to one of her special skills as a Ruler-Class Servant, she was able to identify the servant in front of her.

"You are... Sir Lancelot of the Round Table!"

Lancelot du Lac... otherwise known as the Knight of the Lake and perhaps the greatest Knight among King Arthur's court. He was also more infamously known for having an affair with King Arthur's wife, Queen Guinevere, and later ended up rescuing her during her execution which resulted in the deaths of several of his former comrades.

It was agreed upon by many that it was because of his and the Queen's actions which fractured the unity shared between the Knights of the Round, and also gave Sir Mordred the opportunity to rebel against his father, resulting in both of their deaths during the Battle of Camlann. However, that was another matter entirely.

And while she could identify his name, she could not get a good read on his stats due to something interfering with her senses. Most likely it was due to one of his personal abilities that was the cause.

Still, to be facing one of the greatest knights known to exist as a Berserker... she could not afford to take him as a light threat!

Summoning her banner in her remaining hand, she readied herself as the Black Knight let out a mighty roar and charged.

Berserker quickly swung the tree trunk as Jeanne parried the incoming blow. A quick exchange of blows soon followed, and sparks flew during the process.

Despite being a Berserker, Sir Lancelot was able to use a level of technique and skill that Jeanne could not just believe it. For every swing of her blade she threw, he would counter each quite easily with his makeshift weapon. It was like he wasn't even a Berserker.

"Hah...!" She jumped and swung her flag down hard, hoping to disorient him with force.

Berserker quickly blocked the attack.

***CRACK***

The Black Knight's makeshift weapon began to break apart, apparently having reached its end as a weapon for use. Seeing this, he looked around and quickly made his way towards the Church entrance, grabbing a pillar that stood outside it and yanking it into the air.

It was then quickly covered in the same aura as Berserker, and Jeanne quickly realized that perhaps it was his ability to make use of anything as a weapon.

***WHOOSH***

"...!"

Smashing apart several more arrows heading straight for her with her flag, Jeanne glared as she saw Archer standing not too far from her and Berserker, having apparently closed the distance as she and the Black Knight fought.

***SMASH***

The ground erupted as Berserker swung down the stone pillar just as she jumped to the side, but not before getting hit with debris. He then quickly closed the distance between the two of them, swinging the pillar around like it was mere longsword. Jeanne could only respond by parrying any strike she could.

"Don't forget that I'm here too little missy...!"

Archer shot another round of arrows, and very soon, together with Berserker's assault, she found herself overwhelmed.

Dodging arrows and all the while trying to avoid being hit by the Black Knight. Although she had back-up from the grail itself, that did not meant that she was a great warrior. Her role in life being a Standard-Bearer who lead and inspired armies to victory.

Had it been a one-on-one situation, perhaps she would have an even chance. But right now though...

***BAM***

"Gah...!"

Before she knew it, Jeanne found herself being slammed into the church by Berserker, the wall behind her collapsing as she was sent flying through. She stood up, her body somewhat wobbly due to the experience, and glared at both Archer and Berserker as they came into view.

"Why do you both attack me...!? Do you not know who I am!?"

"Sorry, but even if you are Ruler, we have our orders. We're just here to follow them." The green Archer spoke. When she got a good look at him, Jeanne was quickly able to identify the man before her.

Robin Hood. Or rather, one of many who assumed the identity of the heroic outlaw of legend. This particular person before her was the child of a Druid, but that wan't important right now. She quickly refocused her attention towards the current situation at hand.

"So you do know who I am... and you say you were ordered?" The blonde spoke. "Just who are you two...!? There should only be fourteen servants that have been summoned!"

"Yeah, about that." Archer replied as he pointed his crossbow at her once more. "I can't say too much unless I accidentally give away anything else after all."

It was at that point however that the man in green noticed the summoning circle behind Jeanne glowing rather brightly.

...!

"Ah!"

At the same time, Jeanne felt a slight burning sensation fall upon the center of her chest.

She could feel it, three additional command seals had just been granted to her!

Taking note of this, she jumped back and stood within the middle of the circle, with her hand stretched out as she spoke.

_**"By my name of Ruler, no, Jeanne d'Arc. I ask of thee, heed my summons and come forth! Lend me thy aid in restoring order to the chaos that has been wrought upon the Holy Grail War! Be my blade that vanquishes all evil, that protects that is just!"** _

A brilliant flash of light filled the church, nearly blinding those within it.

"Shit, this is what you were doing here...!?"

Gritting his teeth, Archer loaded his crossbow and fired while Berserker charged. However, just as both did so...

***SLASH***

"...!"

A strong gust of wind appeared from the light, the force of which pushed back Berserker and quickly dispatched Archer's arrows. It also left a sizable distance between them and Ruler, and at that point a figure stepped out of the magic circle.

Standing there looking proud and dignified was a young man dressed in full white armor and blue clothing underneath. He had blonde hair and emerald green eyes. With his appearance alone, one could easily identify him as a Knight.

"A two-on-one engagement... have neither of you have any semblance of pride; Archer? Berserker?"

He spoke for the first time, his voice calm and stern. The latter two were both taken aback by him. Clearly, they did not expect to see another Servant here, and especially one that would be summoned by another to be precise.

Jeanne on the other hand was momentarily taken back as she realized her success. Just by glancing at him, she could feel an incredible amount of power.

She then somewhat froze up when the Knight before her turned his head around and looked at her while smiling.

"Before we introduce ourselves to each other, shall we take care of these two first?"

Jeanne nodded in reply, and both quickly turned their attention towards their opponents. Archer cautiously took a step back, while both noticed that Berserker on the other hand froze the moment he laid his eyes on the White Knight. Seeing this, Jeanne spoke.

"Be careful, he's-!"

"AAARGH...!"

Whatever Jeanne had to say, it had to wait as Berserker charged.

* * *

***SLASH***

"Damn it, that guy didn't tell us about anything like this...!"

Archer cursed as he avoided being stabbed by both of Jeanne's weapons. She was incredibly fast, and for someone like Archer who was more suited to long-range combat, fighting her in close range was quite the task.

Berserker was preoccupied with the new Servant that appeared, dashing towards him like a raging bull. The White Knight was able to keep up with the former, and was putting on a good show. What was strange though was that he was fighting with what looked like an invisible weapon seeing as he couldn't see anything at all.

Though from the way he fought, Archer could guess that the one who was summoned was a Saber-Class Servant.

***CLANG***

"...!"

He drew a dagger from behind him and quickly blocked an incoming blow from Jeanne's sword. However, not long after that did the latter try to attack him with her flag, causing the man in green to quickly move to the side.

"I ask you again Archer, just who are the two of you?" She demanded once more as she pointed her sword at him. "

"Tch! Try again little missy!"

***WHOOSH***

***SLASH***

Archer shot a volley of arrows towards Jeanne only for the latter to quickly strike them all down. She glared at him as she saw him smirking at her.

"You really don't expect me to tell you anything do you? I don't think you're that stupid."

It was at that moment that Archer could feel something resonating in him.

"Boss...?"

* * *

Strong.

That was the only word the White Knight came up with to describe the Black Knight that was Berserker.

For every opening he saw and tried to attack, Berserker would quickly put up a defense. The power of his strikes were also befitting his class name.

There wasn't even any wasted movement either. They were precise and to the point. It was clear that despite his madness, Berserker was still a top-class warrior.

***CLANG***

Swinging his weapon down, the White Knight parried another blow from Berserker's makeshift weapon. Both then jumped back as they stared each other down.

"You are no ordinary Servant, Berserker. Whoever you were in life, you must have been someone of renown. It's only a shame that you are reduced to this... a mere madman."

He looked up when he heard Berserker mutter something rather lowly. When Saber tried to listen in more closely however...

"AAAAAARGH...!"

***SLASH* *SLASH* *CLANG***

Letting out a mighty roar, Berserker suddenly closed the distance between him and his opponent and began a furious assault. The blonde-haired young man responded quickly by parrying any blows he could and dodged the rest.

Whatever set off the Black Knight, it was something that definitely increased his ferocity.

"Hey! Big guy!"

Suddenly, Archer appeared out of nowhere and landed beside Berserker.

"Things have changed, the boss wants us back quick!"

Berserker ignored him in favor of chasing after his opponent, trading blows with the other Knight.

"Hey! Are you even listening-!?"

"There you are!" Jeanne appeared and stood in front of Archer, blocking his path.

However, that everything suddenly came to a halt when Berserker stopped moving, dropping his makeshift weapon onto the ground in the process causing all to look at him in surprise.

Taking advantage of his opponent's distraction, Archer used a flash bang grenade, an item provided for him by his benefactor, and went up towards the Black Knight after using the item to temporarily blind both Jeanne and her Servant. He merely sighed as he looked over his partner.

"Looks like the boss had his Master use a command seal..." He muttered to himself. "C'mon big guy, you know what to do."

Growling ever so slightly, Berserker could only follow Archer as they headed into the woods.

"Wait a moment...!" Jeanne gave chase, and the other blonde motioned to do the same.

***WHOOSH***

A strong gust of wind came from the two Servants' direction, causing both Jeanne and the White Knight to shield themselves. When they looked up however, both widened their eyes in shock as they saw something rising from behind the forest trees.

"Is that... a fighter jet!?"

Jeanne knew of such things from the knowledge provided for her by the Grail, but to actually see one, and one that had another Servant standing upon it no less, was something else entirely. Even the Servant she summoned was momentarily taken back by it as well.

Whatever ability Berserker used on his previous two weapons, it was obvious he was using the same thing on the aerial vehicle he was riding atop on as it was covered in the same black aura he was.

The cockpit opened, and inside they could see Archer seating in it all the while smirking at them.

"Sorry to cut this short, but we're needed elsewhere!" He said. "Let's continue this match some other time shall we?"

With that, he closed the hatch and the fighter jet flew off. Leaving the other two by themselves.

A moment of silence reigned over them before the White Knight suddenly spoke.

"Well... that was unexpected."

"Indeed..." Jeanne replied as she sheathed her blade and allowed her flag to disappear.

"...!" Jeanne held her side as a slightly painful sensation erupted from her side. She didn't notice it before, but apparently Archer was able to get a good shot at her without her even noticing it.

"Are you alright?" The White Knight spoke, giving her a concerned look.

"I am alright, it's only a light wound." Jeanne replied, the wound itself already began healing, rather quickly she noted even for someone of her capabilities.

"Ah, that is good to hear." He said in a friendly manner, as he also then let whatever he was holding in his right hand to disappear. "Now then, I believe we made an oath to introduce ourselves now?"

Jeanne nodded, having only just remembered their earlier deal.

"I am Servant Saber. I have come to aid you in response to your request." The blonde-haired young man said as he smiled at her. "Although I feel like I already know the answer, are you my Master?"

"Indeed, I am your Master, Saber." Jeanne replied as she placed a hand over her chest. "I am Servant Ruler. And I thank you for the assist earlier."

"No need for thanks." Saber stated. "As a Servant, it is my duty to protect my Master from whatever danger he or she faces. And I could not allow such an unfair engagement to take place... not when my sense of honor prevents me from doing so."

"I see. In any event, thank you." She smiled at him. Jeanne felt that she could work well with the person before her.

The man who was known as the **_King of Knights_**. Within a few moments of concentrating, Jeanne identified him on the spot. She could also guess that the invisible weapon he used earlier was perhaps either one of his holy swords. With such fame, having the ability to turn them invisible would prove most valuable to anyone trying to hide Saber's identity.

To be able to summon a legend such as himself... perhaps it was a blessing from God?

Still... she somewhat expected him to look somewhat older. She didn't expect King Arthur to look like someone around her age.

"Now then... perhaps you could explain to me just what exactly is going on?" Saber spoke up, snapping Jeanne away from her thoughts. "I find it somewhat peculiar that I would have another Servant as my Master."

"Ah, this may take a while..."

* * *

"Hmph... so those two failed? Did I not say that it would have been more appropriate to send Lancer along?"

Sitting inside a room filled with fine decor and the like was a woman with long black hair that reached the floor and matching black eyes. An unusual feature to note was that she had long elf-like ears. She also wore a matching black dress that did nothing to hid her impressive cleavage. All in all, one could say that she was a beautiful woman, but at the same time with a sense of danger.

Her companion inside the room however was a young man. He had white hair and golden eyes, his skin was tan in appearance. He wore what looked to be priest garments along with a red cape over his shoulders.

"Although I wanted to, I also wished to test how powerful both Archer and Berserker were went up against Ruler." He replied to the woman seated in front of him.

"Hmm... did they live up to your expectations?" She asked.

"Somewhat. Though I find Archer to be somewhat lacking, Berserker on the other hand is quite useful for a so called madman." He said, though his companion was not entirely convinced. "Fear not Queen of Assyria, there will still be plenty of opportunity's to get rid of Ruler. For now, we wait."

The woman in black merely smiled in response to the man's words.

"I suppose so."

* * *

"I see. So there's something going on with the Holy Grail War that caused you to be summoned? And your task is to find what it exactly is and to bring order?"

"Yes, that is indeed most of it."

Saber and Jeanne sat inside the remains of the old church, the latter having told the former everything she knew.

"I think I can understand it now." He spoke while eyeing Jeanne's body. "Still, to possess a human body instead of having a spiritual one like most Servants do..."

"I know... because of it, I am far more limited than what I'd usually be able to do." Jeanne replied. "Though I can still fight as easily as any regular Servant."

With that, a moment of silence reigned over the two as Jeanne suddenly began fidgeting.

"So Saber..."

"What is it...?"

"Are you alright with this?" She suddenly asked. "As my Servant, you may not be able to get the chance to fight for the Holy Grail like other Servants do. A Ruler must not participate during the Grail War other than to assure that it would be conducted properly."

Saber merely smiled in response to her words.

"That is not something you need to ask, Master." He spoke. "If your words are indeed true, and that there's a chance that the Grail War could rise into a great conflict that could involve many innocents... I would put aside any desire I have in order to prevent from becoming so."

He then looked up to her, a gentle look on his face as he did so.

"And I have already made an oath. As your Servant, I shall aid you in any endeavor you choose to follow through with. I swear this on my name as a Knight."

Jeanne felt a heavy load remove itself from her shoulders as she directed a grateful smile towards Saber.

"Thank you, Saber." She extended her right hand towards him. "As token of my appreciation, allow me to tell you my true name."

"Really? Even though revealing it may cause problems in the future?" Saber asked, surprised by her statement.

"As Ruler, I already know who you are due to my abilities. It's only fair that I tell you of my real identity as well." The White Knight was once more taken aback. He didn't think that Ruler would have such an ability, but perhaps it was something to be expected of her class.

"My name is Jeanne d'Arc. I look forward to working with you, Saber."

Saber gave a surprised look for a moment, before smiling in response and taking her hand in his.

"And the same to you. I am Arthur Pendragon. It's a privilege to meet you, Saint of Orleans."

That night, a new Master & Servant team had been formed.

* * *

"Ahaha... Ahahahahahaha!"

Inside a dark cavern filled to the brim with skeletal remains of humans, a young girl happily twirled about as she laughed in pure happiness. She had short blonde hair and wore a light blue dress. She was also dancing about barefoot.

"Ah, Saber~" She spoke, her voice tinted with ecstasy. "Saber! Saber! Saber~!"

With a closer look, the girl had blood on her clothes and what looked like a large gash upon her chest and on her back. It looked like something had stabbed her.

On her chest however was what looked like a command seal in the shape of seraphim wings.

"I had faith that you would come back one day!" She said. "Although it took you a really long time, you've come back at last~!"

She stopped twirling about as a smile appeared on her face, directing her gaze above.

"I love you~" The girl began slowly. "My prince... the one who belongs only to me~!"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> At the suggestion of a couple of people, I decided to post this story here. Now first of all, someone once complained to me about the sound effects I put in. I too see find them grating on the eyes, but I can't help but put them in there since I have I hard time imagining the fight scenes, which isn't one of my strong points, without them myself. I'm trying to get rid of this habit as I become more experienced with writing though.
> 
> Now then, onto the story itself.
> 
> This idea has been something that's been swimming in my head for years now since I first watched the Fate/Prototype OVA and found out about the existence of Fate/Apocrypha. Since there was little to no fanfics based on the two series on FFN, as well as a lack of Arthur and Jeanne fics, I decided try my hand it and found myself enjoying it. Now, I'll admit I'm lacking as a writer since I've been only doing this stuff as a hobby, so this story probably has a few holes and the like that I haven't noticed yet. And when criticizing, please do so in a way that would make me listen instead of being mean about it. Let's be honest here folks, being mean really only serves as a turn-off for most to completely ignore a review.
> 
> As stated above, both the King of Knights and the Maid of Orleans are going to be the MCs of this fic. While this is going to be my first time writing said characters and nasuverse in general, I'll try to keep them all as close to home as possible while taking my own liberties with their respective characters. If I'm unable to do that, oh well. I tried at least XP I'm also the type to rewrite/add some parts to the story if I feel unsatisfied with them. Changes are mostly confined to better grammar, scene description, and dialogue in certain chapters.
> 
> That's it for now. Please leave a review that's in English because that's my preferred language. I ain't going to the trouble of finding the translation of something I can't understand unless I have a good reason to do it.


	2. Act I-2: Gathering in Trifas

"..."

Driving a black car down a mountain road was a man with a rough appearance. He had wild barbarian like brown hair and a goatee. He wore sunglasses over his face, of which also partially covered the view of the scar that were on it. He wore an open black leather jacket with an orange shirt underneath. He wore black pants, and also wore black leather boots that matched his jacket.

His name was Kairi Shishigou, a freelance bounty hunting necromancer that worked with the Mage's Association from time to time. Currently, he was making his towards a location in Sighisoara, Transylvania where he would be meeting a few associates.

Overall he looked like a thug, a fact that annoyed him to no end when police would suddenly question him for no reason other than looking suspicious. He had to use magic each time just to get away since he didn't had time to deal with the cops.

"..."

On the right passenger seat of his car sat a young woman with green eyes and messy shoulder length blonde hair tied into a ponytail. She wore an open red jacket over a white tube-top. For her leggings, she wore daisy-duke shorts and a pair of black boots that had a skull symbol on their back.

She also had a very annoyed expression on her face that she was directing towards the man.

"..."

"What is it Saber," Kairi spoke. "I can feel you staring. If you have something to say, then say it."

"Why is it that I have to wear this ridiculous outfit!?" Saber demanded in a calm but irritated tone. "Why couldn't I pick out the clothes I wanted to wear!?"

"Stop complaining, those were the cheapest things I could find." The man retorted in a dry tone. "Money doesn't exactly grow on trees."

Saber merely huffed in response as she crossed her arms. She thought to herself that a Knight like her should at least wear something a little more dignified than wearing something that exposes her navel. Then again, the clothes she wore underneath her armor weren't actually all that different to her modern day attire. Perhaps she just felt like wearing something that was of her own choosing rather than what someone picked out for her, which resulted in her annoyed mood.

But if she were to be honest with herself, she didn't mind it all that much. So long as she could always plant her feet firmly on the ground, which she obviously couldn't do in spirit form, she was alright with even having to walk around naked if she had to.

Kairi on the other hand still couldn't believe it. The identity of the Servant that he had summoned...

 **Mordred**... Known by many as the Knight of Treachery. The bastard son of King Arthur and his half-sister Morgan. He who brought an end to the reign of the legendary King of Knights. His name became synonymous with betrayal as a whole.

When he first summoned her, it wasn't actually done on purpose. The relic he had used during the summoning was a splinter of the Round Table itself. That alone assured him that he would receive any one of its members as his Servant.

After she found out about this though, she quickly destroyed the piece of wood with everything she had, filled with such rage towards it that the act alone clued him in as to the identity of his Servant. There was only one person among the Knights who could react in such a way after all.

Still, he was somewhat off put by the fact that he was actually a _she_. And said she looked like a young teenage girl in casual clothes. But he wasn't an idiot. Whether she was a man or a woman made little difference in light of the fact that she was still a Heroic Spirit. That, and treating her like a woman pissed her greatly. So the mercenary decided to avoid veering into that topic in such a way that it wouldn't insult his Servant.

Personality wise though, she was the type of person he could get along with just fine even if she did have a temper.

"So remind me again..." Saber suddenly began, snapping Kairi out from his thoughts. "We're meeting with the other Masters from this Mage's Association, correct?"

"Right. We've been asked to team-up with each other." Kairi replied as he began explaining. "The reason behind that is because the Grail being used in this Grail War is highly suspected to be the original. Or at the very least, a very faithful replica of it unlike the other fake ones that popped up the last half-century. And if you know what magi are like, they'll jump at the first chance to obtain the so-called omnipotent wish granting device."

"From the way you speak Master, you don't seem entirely convinced of it."

"Oh no, that was just sarcasm." Kairi replied in a nonchalant manner. "I'm mostly here for the money I'm going to be paid for joining the team. But, if this thing really can grant wishes, then I have something I want granted."

"And that would be...?"

"That's a little too personal don't you think? Ask me another time." The man replied once more. "Look, we're here."

The car came to a stop at a church on top of a hill, and Saber could feel multiple presences inside said building. She then saw a long-haired man stepping out of it, looking at them as they both got out of the car.

"Ah, Shishigou, you've arrived."

"El-Melloi II, so you really were chosen as a Master." Kairi spoke as he shook hands with the younger man.

"Indeed. To be chosen a second time... I don't know whether to be honored or to be terrified to be honest." Waver nodded before turning his attention towards the young woman accompanying Kairi. One look at her and he could already tell...

She was a Servant.

"I take it that this is Saber?"

"Right on the mark." The sunglasses wearing man said as he looked at the blonde and gestured to Waver. "Saber, this is El-Melloi II. He's the Master of Rider, and one of the guys who I signed my contract with in the first place. He and I worked together a few times now."

"I see." Saber nodded in response and in acknowledgement of Waver's presence. From the little time she had spent with her master, she could at least tell that he was of respectable character despite his looks, choice of profession, and his magecraft as well.

From the way he referred to the man known as El-Melloi II, his voice was filled with respect. Meaning that the long-haired man was also one of good character. Or at least, someone they could trust for now.

"Now then, shall we meet with the others?"

* * *

Before heading into the building, Kairi told Saber to go into spirit form and be ready for anything. The blonde nodded and did as she was told though she disliked being in said form. Satisfied that she listened to him, the sunglasses wearing mercenary entered the building.

"Geez, now I get why you and Rocco wanted me along for the ride..."

Once inside the church, a table was set up in the middle of the room where masses were usually held. At the said table were a couple of teenagers if Kairi was able to guess their age right thanks to their youthful faces.

"I know. They may be young, but they're at least competent. Allow me to introduce you..."

The first was the youngest of the bunch, looking to be around 14-15 years old. She had blonde hair and green eyes, and wore a blue cap over her head that a silver ornament that resembled a rose attached to it. She wore a blue dress that matched her cap, which had silver crosses on the puffy sleeves, and wore a white blouse that resembled what nobility from Europe would wear. She a light blue ribbon tied around her neck, and wore black leggings and brown boots. Currently, she was drinking tea.

"This is Reines El-Melloi Archisorte, the current head of the Archibald family."

The blonde girl eyed the Kairi while continuing to drink her tea, and the latter could only describe her stare as something akin to that of a snake looking at its prey.

"Hmph. So this is the bounty hunter you told me about?" She spoke up as a small smirk developed on her face. "From his looks alone, he might very well be able to make the members of Yggdmillennia surrender in fear."

"Hey..." Kairi muttered in annoyance.

"Alright, that's enough of that. Reines please, do not antagonize our allies." The girl merely turned her attention elsewhere. "Moving on..."

Waver then gestured to the person seated the closest to Reines, looking to be about the same age as her but perhaps a little older. It was a young woman, she had grey hair tied into a bun and green eyes. Kairi noted with awe that she bore a striking resemblance to Saber. She wore a black jacket and a white skirt. She wore what appeared to be a black cape that had fur trimming on it.

"This is my apprentice. Her name is Gray." He said then looked towards the girl. "Gray, introduce yourself."

"Pleased to meet you." She spoke quietly and sat back down as quickly as she introduced herself. She gave off the impression that she was a quiet person at heart.

Saber on the other hand had a different impression of her.

 _'What is with that girl...? Why is it that we bear such a strong resemblance...?'_ She thought as she focused her attention on the girl. Waver once more moved on to the next subject of interest.

This person was the one that caught Kairi's attention the most. He had white hair and tan skin, his eyes were golden in color. He wore black clothes resembling that of a priests, also wore a red cape over it. He had a smile on his face as he directed his attention towards both him and Waver, it was a gaze that caused the former to stand on attention as he raised his guard even more.

"It's a pleasure to meet you, Kairi Shishigou. I am Shirou Kotomine, and I am a representative of the Church." He said. "I welcome you to our alliance."

"A representative from the Church? That's the first I'm hearing about this." Kairi muttered as he and Waver sat down. The way the boy from the church spoke... it just made him want to turn and walk away. There was something about him...

"The Church wants one of their own to keep on us Magi while we work. Make sure that we don't end up summoning any demon gods as they say." The long-haired man stated, the last bit somewhat sarcastically. "Speaking of which Kotomine, where are Bersinsky and Rum? I heard that they were the ones to fetch you."

"Yes, about that." Shirou began. "Unfortunately, they both decided to withdraw from the Holy Grail War."

All those present widened their eyes at that sudden piece of news.

"What!? Just when did this happen!?" Waver demanded.

"A little over a few days ago when they dropped by in Fuyuki City to pick me up." Shirou began explaining. "Accordingly, they both have family issues they need to attend to, and thus they handed over their Command Seals and Servants to me."

Seeing that they weren't entirely convinced, Shirou pulled out a folded piece of paper from one of his pockets and laid it out on the table.

Seeing this, Waver took the contract and read it over as Shirou began speaking once more.

"Well brother? What does it say?" Reines stated.

"It's the real thing, I recognize the handwriting as both theirs." Waver replied as he directed his attention towards the priest in front of him. "Though whether or not this letter was written by choice is a different matter altogether."

"I assure you this is all legitimate." Shirou said in his defense. "Though whether or not you believe me is up to you. You could always go back for a brief time and ask them for the truth. But will that be alright I wonder? Will you abandon your comrades during an event such as the Holy Grail War? Are you not the leader appointed by the Association with the task of reclaiming the Grail?"

Seeing he had a point, Waver dropped the subject for now, but not before sending one last look at the boy known as Shirou Kotomine.

"Oh? Well ain't that something little man? You've got yourself three servants to control now." Kairi commented as the boy merely shrugged his shoulders. "I have to ask though, how you're supporting three Servants and not look a little exhausted at least?"

"That's because both Caster and Berserker still have a direct spiritual link to their original Masters. I merely control them, but when it comes to supplying both with prana, Mr. Bersinsky and Rum are doing that for me. I suppose you could say that they're still providing us aid despite their withdrawal." Shirou replied with a smile.

"I see." Waver nodded in understanding, though still wary of the young man before him. "Right then. Before anything else, why don't we have our Servants materialize first?"

"Hmm? What would be the point of that?" Reines asked.

"Well for one, it allows our Servants to interact with the discussion. Second, it would be a show of trust." Waver explained. "Rider, come out."

"About time! I was starting to wonder how long you planned on having me stay that way boy!"

Suddenly, a rather large muscular man appeared standing right behind Waver. He had short but messy red hair which also formed his beard. He wore an armor reminiscent of ones worn during the time of Ancient Greece. He had a red cape with fur trimming over his ensemble.

"Greetings to you all! It's a fortuitous event that allowed all of us to gather here today as allies. I am Iskander, the King of Conquerors!" He announced. "I will make this quick. The Servants who are still in astral form, which one of you will join my army after our alliance is over?"

A moment of silence echoed throughout the room as all were stunned by the sudden proclamation. Waver on the other hand was merely sighing to himself, muttering that he should have expected such a thing. Even if they were allies at the moment due to bizarre circumstances, to so brazenly declare one's identity like that, and then to ask the remaining Servants to join him so suddenly...

"Ha... Hahaha!"

A laugh cut through the silence as gold mist appeared behind Reines. There, another Servant materialized. This time, it was a young man, someone who looked to be in his early twenties or so. He had blonde hair and red eyes, his hair was swept back aside from the single strand that dangled in front of his face. He wore golden armor that covered his shoulders, waist and legs, along with a red waist-cloth. Two swords were also attached onto his back.

"Amusing Rider!" He spoke while containing a laugh. "Our identities are of the highest level of secret that we can have, and yet you shouted yours to the heavens! And to declare yourself a King at that... Truly you are a jester!"

"Hmm? And you are? I am a King just so you know. The King of Conquerors, Iskander." Rider responded as the man continued to laugh.

"Hahaha, you fool!" The man in gold suddenly exclaimed as he smirked and crossed his arms. "There can only be one true King that reigns under the heavens, and that is I. The mere fact that you cannot even recognize who I am at first glance proves the level of ignorance that you share with the rest of those in this room."

"Oh? So you are also a King then?" Rider said as he placed a hand underneath his chin. "Why don't you indulge us with your name then? No true King would be ashamed to reveal his own name."

"Hmph. I do not plan on wasting my breath teaching those who cannot recognize me, the one true King of this world, my own name." He replied before eyeing Rider specifically. "However, since you amused me, I will tell you my class as a boon. So be grateful at the very least."

The Golden Servant spoke in such a condescending tone that not even Saber, who herself was a prideful and arrogant person, a fact that she admitted to, couldn't believe it. However, despite her distaste for him, she remained silent as the Golden Servant continued to speak.

"I am Archer. And make no mistake... once our enemies have been taken cared of, the normal battle of seven shall resume. And I will personally show you that there can only be one King in this world, King of Conquerors, and that King is none other than myself."

"Is that so? Then I'll have to look forward to it Archer!" Rider declared with a smile. He wouldn't back down from Archer's threat.

Reines merely muttered something under her breath as she directed an annoyed glare at her Servant. He really had to make enemies with one of their allies so quickly.

"Now then, come out!" Archer suddenly declared. "I think it's about time we all met face-to-face as fellow Heroes of eras now long past."

At that, three other servants appeared in the room. One of them was Saber herself. She wore heavy looking armor with red clothing underneath that covered her from head-to-toe, making it near impossible to tell if she was actually a man or a woman.

"Servant Saber. Nothing more." Saber spoke, not feeling in the mood to speak any more than what she said.

The next figure that appeared stood behind Gray. He, in contrast to Saber, wore rather ornate light armor with Greek designs with black clothing beneath it. He had green hair swept back and yellow eyes. He also had an orange sash tied around from his waist to his shoulder, the cloth flowing freely over the latter.

"Yo, call me Lancer. Let's get along shall we folks?" He said, a smile on his face that spoke of his friendliness. Whether or not it was an act remained to be seen, but for now, it did ease the somewhat tense atmosphere.

Lastly, there was a woman with long black hair and eyes, the most unusual feature about her was her elf-like ears. She a rather ornately designed black dress that did nothing to hide her impressive cleavage. Rather, it was like it was intentionally designed that way.

Kairi nearly jumped out of his seat when the latter of the trio appeared as she was sitting right next to him. Seeing his reaction, the woman could only laugh in response.

"Foul hag, are trying to mock my Master!?" Saber demanded as she pointed her blade at her.

"Oh no, Saber. Just think of it as a light joke." She giggled in response.

"Assassin, enough of that. Come over here." Shirou spoke up.

"Yes, yes, anything you say Master."

Her voice was akin to what one would expect from a woman of high status. Kairi noted that with her appearance, she may as well have been royalty. Her class would still be appropriate for her since she looked like the type who could order the deaths of many with but a movement of her wrist and none would know about it.

Saber watched her with a glare as the black-haired woman made her way to her Master. Her aura and appearance, as well as her manner of speech. it reminded her all too well of her own mother.

After Assassin stood next to her Master, Waver noticed something off.

"Kotomine, where are Caster and Berserker?" He asked.

"They're around, just somewhere farther than here." Shirou replied. "Berserker is a somewhat troublesome Servant, you should know this. Allowing him inside a room full of other Servants is just begging for trouble. So I have Caster watching over him for the time being while we discuss and plan."

"Ah, that makes sense." Waver nodded, accepting the information. It was at that moment that Saber noticed Archer had been staring at her for some time now.

"Hoh? So you are Saber?" Archer raised an eyebrow as he smirked. "Well then? As you can see, you're the only one wearing a mask. Will continue to hid your face like a coward, or will you show it to us instead?"

If Saber was affected in anyway by such comments, she didn't show it. Instead, the helmet she wore slowly began disassembling itself from her head and laid itself as pieces of her armor. Those who witnessed it couldn't help but be impressed by the function.

And to say that everyone was taken back by her appearance was an understatement. They suspected she was a woman from the moment she spoke, though it was somewhat hard to tell due to the helmet muffling what she truly sounded like, but they didn't expect it to be true and for to have been one that looked so young and beautiful. The only thing off putting about her was the mean look in her eyes, but even then that didn't change the fact that she was quite attractive.

They also noted with great surprise that Saber bore a striking resemblance to Gray, who herself was just as much as taken back as everyone else.

"Hmm... so the one summoned as the strongest Servant class is a little girl? Truly, this world holds many forms of amusement." Archer commented.

***SLASH***

Everyone quickly jumped out of the way as Saber swung her sword down upon Archer who merely responded by blocking her blow with his two blades, the impact of which blew away the table and chairs set up. Saber was glaring murderously at the Servant in gold.

"Call me a little girl again... **and I will cut off your head!** " She growled. Killing intent oozed from every single one of her words, and everyone but the Servants in the room were taken aback it. She held so much blood lust that it felt more appropriate to call her Berserker!

On the other hand...

"Hmph. To so brazenly attack me..." Archer muttered in response as he smirked at the other blonde, pushing her back with brute force as they stood apart from each other. "So be it. If you wish for a battle to the death Saber, I shall grant you that honor."

"Then bring it! I shall take pleasure in taking your head Archer!"

Both took on a stance, ready for battle as they stared each other down. It was at that moment that both of their Masters decided to intervene.

"Archer, enough!" Reines yelled as she stepped in front of her Servant. "Do not attack her!"

"You too Saber, stand down!" Kairi demanded as well. "You two can kick each other's ass all you want later, but only after we've dealt with our enemies alright!?"

As this went on, the others in the room could only watch on.

Lancer had an amused smile on his face and was tempted to join in, but decided against it for now. Assassin also had a similar expression on her face, as did Shirou. They both noted that such a thing was to be expected when heroes from different eras were to meet with each other.

"This is getting out of hand." Waver sighed. He knew that being the leader of a group such as this wasn't going to be easy.

"Hahaha! Such strong willed people we've gathered here today! I'm liking them already!" Rider noted with a smile.

* * *

It took a miracle, but both Masters managed to calm down their individual Servants. Fixing up the tables and chairs, the Masters sat together once more as Waver began speaking.

"Now then, I would like to get down to business." He began. "Kotomine, I assume you already know this as well?"

"Indeed." Shirou said as he looked at the other Masters, laying out a map on the table that showed the entirety of Trifas, to which he pointed to a particular spot. "We've confirmed that the Greater Grail is indeed located underneath the Yggdmillennia Clan's castle. Just like we thought, they're the ones behind this Grail War, and most likely the past Grail Wars as well."

"So the real question right now is if the thing below that fancy place is the real deal or if it's just another replica." Kairi spoke up.

"The Association has already considered such a possibility." Waver replied. "Either way, even if it is a fake, it's the closest one to the original in terms of specs. Data and knowledge left from the last grail war spoke of the possibility of being able to summon more than seven servants depending on the location where the Grail is situated in. Then there's the fact that the Command Seals we have are a set of three. During the fake grail wars, it was mostly limited to either one or two."

"And fake or not, leaving it in the territory of the Yggdmillennia Clan, who themselves have been causing trouble over the years for both the Association and the Church only spells bad news." Shirou added. "There's also one more detail..."

"Hmm? And what's that?"

"The Ruler-Class Servant." He said, catching the attention of the Servants in the room.

"Ruler-Class Servant...?" Saber muttered the words in confusion. From what knowledge the Grail provided for her, none of it mentioned such class before. She looked about and saw that the others were also as confused as her.

She also noted that Assassin was the only one who wasn't. Whether or not that meant anything, it was too soon to tell.

"Allow me to explain." The young man began. "Ruler is a Servant that is summoned by the Holy Grail itself. According to what I know, they're only summoned when Grail feels that the situation of the Holy Grail War will go out of hand due to various circumstances. Said circumstances also depend. Say, fourteen Servants have been summoned. With such an event, the Grail will most likely summon a Ruler to handle the situation."

"Is this so-called Ruler going to be a problem for us?" Lancer questioned, the class title alone was giving him bad vibes.

"I don't think so." Waver responded to the Servant of the Spear. "The Ruler-Class are required to be neutral during the Holy Grail War and must only act when circumstances demand it."

"Cannot act... I'm a little confused here, wouldn't that mean they can't fight for the Holy Grail like the rest of us?" Rider asked "What happens to their wish being granted?"

"They have none." Shirou stated much to the surprise of the Servants. "The main requirement to be summoned as a Ruler is for the Heroic Spirit being summoned has no wish they want granted in the first place."

The Servants present were taken somewhat by surprise by this, but not too much as they easily understood such a requirement. After all, one cannot be a mediator in the Holy Grail War if they desired the Grail for themselves.

"Tell me something, just what makes the Ruler class so special?" Archer suddenly asked.

"Hmm? Is something the matter Archer?" Reines inquired. "You sound somewhat tense."

"Hmph. I simply refuse to acknowledge this so called Ruler class. Being a Ruler is a privileged, not something one is given so casually or summoned into." Archer merely replied as he returned his attention towards Waver. "So tell me mage. What makes the Ruler class so special?"

"Seeing as how you want to know, I might as well say it." Waver paused for a moment before continuing. "The Ruler-class has access to special Command Seals that allow them to command any Servant that has been summoned during the Grail War. That is why they are called Ruler."

"...!" The Servant's all looked at Waver in shock and surprise.

"I see..." Archer muttered, his arms crossed and an angry frown grew on his face. "Hmph. Such insolence... if Ruler should even dare try to use one against me, there will be blood to pay."

"Mad that someone else is higher than you in rank Golden King?" Lancer quipped while smirking at the golden Archer.

"Do you wish to die a painful death Lancer?"

"Well I've already died once. Dying twice makes no difference to me." The green-haired man stated nonchalantly. It was obvious that Lancer was intentionally trying to annoy Archer with his words.

"Alright that's enough." Waver raised his voice. "As much as I want to let you two settle your differences, we have other priorities to deal with."

"Boy, do you have any idea what kind of Servants these Yggdmillennia people have?" Rider suddenly asked. "Knowing what kind of people are enemies are going to be like would prove useful for us in the future."

"Now that you mention it, we do have such information." Shirou spoke up as Assassin handed out several dossiers to each Master. "Within the shortest amount of time, I was able to gather enough intelligence about our enemies to know what we're up against."

"Well that's convenient." Kairi commented.

"I consider myself lucky. I was mostly only able to do it due having many contacts as a member of the Church." Shirou replied nonchalantly. "Also, for simplicity's sake, we've named the Masters and Servants of Yggdmillennia as the Black Faction and ourselves the Red Faction."

"So that would make me Rider of Red?" Iskander smirked. "I like it! It adds a certain flair to the name."

"Of course you would." Waver sighed.

"Anyway, here's what we've been able to gather. It's mostly information regarding their parameters though, as well as a description of what they would look like." Shirou said as the others began reviewing the information.

"What, no pictures?" The necromancer quipped.

"Forgive me if I couldn't make a composite sketch for each." Shirou replied without missing a beat. "To be blunt, none of the people who were assigned to this duty were what one would call artists."

Several minutes passed as they began reading through the dossiers. Just like what Shirou said, it was mostly centered around each Servants stats. The truly impressive ones were none other Saber, Archer and Lancer. However that was too be expected considering that each belonged the Knight Class.

"Now then, I think it's about time we discuss about the Servant who massacred the fifty magi sent by the association." The young man began. "Since unlike the others, we already have an idea of what he can do."

"Indeed." Reines nodded in agreement. "What was the method used to kill them? It could perhaps lead us to discovering the identity of the Servant in the first place."

"Stakes." Waver answered as the others looked at him. "From what the survivor of that massacre told us just before he died, he said that he and his colleagues were taken by surprise by stakes suddenly rising up from the ground beneath them. Most died during that assault, and the others that didn't were picked off one after another by a Servant who appeared before them."

"Stakes..." Kairi began thinking aloud. "Hmm... the first guy that comes to mind when I hear the word stake is-"

"Vlad III, otherwise known as Vlad the Impaler." Shirou finished for him. "Most likely, that is the identity of the Servant behind the massacre. We are in Romania after all, so it would make sense that a Hero such as him would be summoned where he would receive a boost in power. And considering his background, I would have to say that he must be Lancer-class."

"He was a ruler himself right? This could prove interesting." Rider smirked.

"What about the other Servants?" Waver asked. "Do we have any leads on their identities? As well as their Noble Phantasms and other abilities?"

"Unfortunately, no. Though I suppose it's natural considering we haven't even fought them yet. But as far as I can tell, the Saber that they summoned is quite powerful. Whoever he is, he must've been someone of renown to bolster such high stats." Shirou replied as he gestured to the paper containing Saber of Black's parameters.

Hearing this, Saber could not help but think of someone in her past matching such a description.

Someone who had refused to acknowledge her until the very end... it resulted in the two of them dueling to their deaths. It was very much possible that he was summoned as well in this war. Someone of his reputation, it was only natural to expect that someone would try to summon him as a Servant...

_'Could it be... father?'_

"There's also one more piece of troubling information." Shirou began.

"Hmm? What is it?"

"It concerns Ruler..."

* * *

"Hmm..."

Standing atop a balcony was a man with pale skin and platinum blonde hair and a beard. He looked to be someone in his late thirties to early forties, but that depended on where one lived to be able to make such a guess. He wore black clothing reminiscent of what a nobleman would wear, but at the same time, it had a rugged appearance that told those who would see him that he was not one to be trifled with.

He was none other than the Lancer-class Servant of the Yggdmillennia Faction, otherwise known as Lancer of Black. He was summoned by none other than the clan head, Darnic Prestone. The latter of which was sitting inside the room where the balcony was situated outside of.

"So is this information accurate?" He spoke as he read over a list Darnic had given him earlier.

"Yes. I can confirm that without a doubt that the Mage's Association have summoned all seven of their Servants." Darnic replied. "However, apparently, two of the Master's who were going to participate have suddenly retreated back to their respective domains and left their Servants to their allies."

"Hmm? Why is that?"

"I don't know, but it does mean that we now only have to worry about five Masters instead of seven."

"I suppose so." Lancer nodded in agreement. Still, he found it strange that two masters would suddenly withdraw from a competition like the Holy Grail War. He could understand that perhaps it was due to fear, but Magi were usually the types to risk it all for the sake of their goals.

"And it also seems they've started calling us, the Master's of Yggdmillennia, the Black Faction and themselves the Red Faction." Darnic revealed, and Lancer nodded at that, saying that it seemed appropriate. "My Lord, there is also something that you need to know."

"How many times must I say it Darnic? Enough with the formalities." Lancer sighed as he massaged his temple. "Right now, I am not Vlad Tepes, but Lancer of Black. A Servant fighting in the Holy Grail War."

"My apologies, it's force of habit." Darnic replied as he was reminded of what he was going to say.

"At any rate, I think it's worth mentioning that Ruler will be arriving in Trifas soon." He began. "Our familiars have spotted her arriving at the Airport in Bucharest."

"Hmm... So Ruler is a woman? And she's arriving now of all times?" Lancer crossed his arms as he began thinking. "I initially thought that she would've been summoned somewhere near Trifas. Why is it that she arrived by plane?"

"Perhaps she was summoned in a location safe from harm. With fourteen Servants about, it would only be natural that the Grail would choose somewhere safe to summon its own personal mediator for the War. That's the only logical conclusion I can think of."

"True." Lancer nodded, accepting the theory. "Do you have any idea where she came from? Perhaps it would allow us to discern her identity for now."

"Nothing concrete, but we do know is that the plane she arrived on departed from England."

"England? Isn't that the location of the Association you've spoken to me about?"

"To be precise, it's located in London." Darnic replied. "And apparently, Ruler isn't alone."

"And what exactly do you mean by that?"

"It is as I stated. She has a companion with her, and it's no magus. That much I can assure you." The blue-haired man said as Lancer widened his eyes in realization.

"Wait, you don't mean to say-!"

"Yes, she summoned a Servant of her own."

* * *

"Ah, it feels quite good to be standing on solid ground after such a long flight."

Walking through an airport terminal was a young man and woman, both of whom had blonde hair.

The first of the duo had emerald green eyes. He wore a red shirt and black pants with matching black shoes. He also wore a dark brown longcoat as part of his ensemble. His female companion on the other hand had amethyst eyes. She wore what looked like a school uniform along with carrying a backpack on her back.

They were none other than Saber and Ruler, both having just arrived in Romania.

"You seem quite relieved Master." Saber began. "Could it be that perhaps you disliked flying on an airplane?"

"No, no, it's not that." Jeanne replied. "I just like the feeling of the ground beneath me is all. Surely the same must also go for you Saber?"

"I'll admit, flying isn't exactly something I did while I was King." Saber replied as he gazed outside to look at the planes lined up along the side as passengers boarded and got off respectively. Mankind truly had advanced much within the span of 1500 years after his time.

"Still though, I did find it quite enjoyable as brief as it was." He smiled at her. "I also found your apparent fear of flying to be somewhat amusing Master."

"I-I already said I wasn't afraid...!"

"I never said you were afraid before now." Saber chuckled as Jeanne froze and pouted slightly in response.

Despite his background, she quickly found out in the short time that they were together that Saber was the type who liked to tease people when he saw an opportunity. However, it was all in good nature, and he never went farther than the occasional joke.

She also found out that he couldn't go into Spirit Form. Most likely it was due to a fault in that happened during the summoning process. She couldn't help but sulk somewhat that she failed in performing a perfect summoning, but she supposed it couldn't be helped since she wasn't an actual mage. This also led to Jeanne using Laeticia's money once more to buy him his own set of clothing so he could walk about with attracting attention.

It was at that moment that she was reminded of something she had been meaning to discuss with Saber.

"That reminds me Saber. From now on whenever it's just the two of us, please refer to me as Jeanne."

Saber blinked at the sudden request. "Is that wise? Your name alone is enough to alert our enemies to your identity and thus your weaknesses. And we never know when or where they are watching us."

"I know that. However, I feel flustered having someone of your status calling me Master. It just feels... somewhat inappropriate." She revealed, directing an embarrassed smile towards Saber. "Also, my identity will most likely become well known in the near future thanks to my status as Ruler, and I've already invoked my true name in front of Archer and Berserker. So I feel like there's no actual need to hide it anymore."

"Then why not just Laeticia? That is the name of your host after all." The other blond suggested.

"I've already involved her too much just by possessing her." Jeanne replied, a frown on her face as her mind began worrying. "It would be too selfish of me to do such a thing. And it would also start to feel like I'm trying to take away her identity as well."

"I see." Saber nodded with an understanding smile. "If that is your wish, then so shall it be. Milady Jeanne."

"M-Milady...?"

"Hmm? I was trying to be courteous. Is something the matter?"

"Ah...! N-Nothing is wrong. It's just... Oh dear, perhaps I was mistaken?" Jeanne muttered to herself. Milady was something she was used to being called by some of her old comrades as well as those who looked up to her during her life. But for some reason, it sounded much more embarrassing when called as such by Saber.

Laeticia was most likely influencing her. The girl was actually bad at handling men, and was mostly able to do so only when in the presence of friend or if it was for business like matters. Personal or otherwise, she would try to hide behind a wall first.

Saber on the other hand merely looked clueless as his Master debated on her situation.

* * *

The Red Master's looked at Shirou, momentarily shocked by the news he had just revealed to them.

"How is it that she was able to summon a Servant!?" Reines demanded, being the first to snap out of it.

"It's not that surprising when you think about it." Shirou began. "After all, she does have Command Seals of her own. That makes her an eligible enough Master in a sense. And with the fourteen Servants about, she must've begun fearing for her own life enough that she sought aid of her own."

"But it still doesn't make any sense...!" The blonde girl began only to be cut off by none other than her Servant.

"Hmph, like any of that matters." Archer spoke. "Whether she brings forth one, a dozen, or an entire army of Servants makes no difference to me. I shall take on all forms of challenge as the King of this world."

"Hoh? Then I'll be looking forward to watching you get yourself killed Archer. That will be a riot~" Lancer laughed as the Archer glared at him annoyed.

"Lancer, please stop it." Gray spoke for the first time since her introduction, her voice as quiet as ever. "Archer, I apologize for his words. Please do not fight with one another in this place."

Seeing this, Archer merely turned around with crossed arms. Lancer himself decided to comply and stopped laughing.

"If I were you girl, then I would get your Servant on a leash. After all, a dog's barking makes for tedious listening." Archer muttered.

"Anyway!" Waver spoke up, turning all attention towards him. "Why is it that you said that Ruler began fearing for her life? What happened?"

"According to reports, she was attacked by two Servants while in England." Shirou replied. "Perhaps the Yggdmillennia clan wanted to take her out of the picture before she could arrive and sent two of their own there? Honestly though, I don't really know. I'm just guessing at this point. It could also be possible that those two Servants who attacked Ruler are surviving strays from one of the past Grail Wars as well."

That immediately caught everyone's attention. If such a thing did occur, then this Grail War really did just get more complicated.

"Any ideas on Ruler's identity at least?" The necromancer asked. "And the identity of the Servant she summoned? As well as the ones who attacked them both?"

Shirou merely smiled in response to Kairi's question, and that alone sent shivers down the older man's spine. There was something about the white-haired priest that rubbed him the wrong way.

"I can answer the first question rather easily. During the attack and as she summoned her Servant, Ruler declared her name." Shirou began. "Her identity is none other than Jeanne d'Arc, the Heroine of France and Saint of Orleans."

The other Masters reacted in slight awe at this. To think that a famous Saint such as herself had been brought forth as a Servant!

"However, the identity of the Servant she summoned on the other hand remains a mystery, as well as the two they fought off. The familiars who observed them couldn't afford to linger any longer less they were detected and left by the time the other two Servants did." The young man said. "What we do know is that Ruler's Servant is a blonde male of about average height, or perhaps taller. He wears white armor, and his weapon is the biggest mystery of all."

"Hmm? What about it?" The necromancer once again asked.

"It was invisible." Shirou revealed as Saber widened her eyes. "For some reason, the weapon itself seemed like it was invisible, and it also felt like it granted him the ability to control wind to a degree."

All the while he continued speaking, Saber's mind closed out everything that didn't relate to whatever was going on inside her head.

_'A blonde haired male... and a weapon that's invisible while bringing about wind... could it be?'_

She didn't know how to react. There was a high chance it was him, especially since the priest stated that Ruler's Servant was summoned in Britain.

If it was him... if it really was him...! The person who rejected her to the very end!

Saber released a breath she did not know she was holding, all the while clenching both of her fists rather tightly.

_'Father...!'_

* * *

"You know, you're not much of a Berserker aren't you...?"

"Hmm? Did you say something Master?"

Standing outside in the garden space of the Yggdmillennia castle was none other than Caules and a young girl looking to be about his age.

She had pink hair long enough to reach her back, and it was done in a two-side up style. She wore a black dress with detached sleeves and white boots. The most unusual features about the girl was the fact she draconic like horns, fingernails, and a tail growing from out of places on her body.

She was none other than Berserker of Black, and the Servant of Caules. Currently, she was twirling about in the gardens while singing.

"I'm just mumbling to myself." Caules said. "I still can't believe that you've retained your sanity despite your class."

"Being crazy is boring, I'd rather be myself more than anything else." The girl quickly responded as she continued with her motions.

Caules sighed as he watched Berserker do her thing. If he had to be blunt, then he would have to say that she was quite terrible at singing. Rather, he admits that she had a lovely enough voice. The main problem was the fact that she had no artistic sense whatsoever. Her singing was off beat and off key.

He didn't think that **Elizabeth Bathory** would act so much like a spoiled modern day teenage girl. Considering her background though, his surprise was somewhat mitigated as a result though he still found it a bit surrealistic. Then again, he was a magus. Expecting surrealistic bullshit was part of the job description. Something like this, he could get by it easily.

"Caules! What is your Servant doing!?"

He stood at attention as he saw two people walking over towards him. One of them was a rather plump man and the other was a tall man covered in black clothing and grey armor. He had platinum blonde hair, and a strange light was being emitted from the center of his chest. On his back was also a rather large sword.

The former's name was Gordes Musik Yggdmillennia, a relative of Caules though not in blood sense. The man beside him was his Servant, Saber of Black.

"W-What is it Uncle?"

"Would you tell your Servant to quiet down!? Her singing is quite irritating!" He demanded.

"Huh?! You have a problem with me you pruny old man?!" Berserker quickly took offense to that and ran up to look at Gordes right in the face.

"Pruny old man!? I happen to be 36 years old!" Gordes retorted before realizing something. "Wait, that's not the issue here. You're a Servant, not a singer. Act like it."

"What's wrong with me singing? It would do well for a place like this to liven up a bit, don't you agree Saber?"

Saber remained silent throughout this exchange. It was to be expected. From the moment he was summoned, Gordes ordered Saber to remain silent until he gave his permission to speak. Saber didn't seem to have a problem with this as he followed through with it.

However, Saber did smile as Berserker questioned him, nodding slightly.

"See? Even Saber agrees!" She smiled triumphant.

"Saber, you...!" Gordes gave an annoyed look towards his Servant. Though he was loyal, he was still somewhat snippy at times such as this. Saber on the other hand merely remained silent as always per his orders.

"Now, now, how about we all get along~?"

Suddenly out of nowhere a person with a rather cute appearance appeared before them. That person had long pink hair tied into a single braid, with eyes matching the color of the hair. Said person also wore black clothing and white armor, and a matching cape with fur like trimmings on the collar to go with the armor.

Said person also happened to be male despite his feminine appearance and choice of clothing. He was none other than Rider of Black.

Even now, Caules still couldn't believe Rider to be male. It completely contradicted the statements that **Astolfo** , Rider's true identity, was one the most handsome members of Charlemagne's Twelve Paladins. Then again, sense of beauty tends to differ depending on the era and people. And it was also natural for legends and stories to become distorted over time.

"I quite agree with Rider."

Caules quickly looked to see his sister being wheeled in by a tall man with long green hair wearing a white outfit reminiscent of clothes worn during Ancient Greece. What was most strange about him just like with Berserker but different was the fact that he had what looked like a horses tail sticking out from his rear.

He was Archer of Black, and his identity was none other than **Chiron** , a centaur who was famous for personally training Greek Heroes such as Heracles and Achilles. His current form was the result of Archer deeming it necessary to appear like this as his centaur form would most likely give away his identity at first glance. That said, the tail still felt like something of a giveaway to Caules.

"Hey, is something the matter sis?"

"Grandfather has a request for Gordes." Fiore replied, catching the older man's attention. "It seems he wants you and Saber to go out on a patrol tonight."

"Whatever for?"

"He says that Ruler is expected to arrive at the city by then." She revealed, and that caught the attention of everyone. "He wants you and Saber to keep an eye on her for the time being. And Saber's skills should prove enough of a match for anything that comes his way should something happen."

"Hmm... it seems like a job better suited for Archer don't you think? His class along with Assassin or perhaps Caster are better suited for such a task." Gordes questioned.

"Yes, but grandfather wants Archer on standby and act as a guard for the castle. With his eyes, he can spot anyone coming at us from a good distance away. And Caster is too busy with Roche in ensuring that our defenses will be ready for anything, and both Assassin and their Master have yet to arrive." Fiore replied.

"True." Gordes nodded. "Very well then, I shall take my leave. Saber, come. Help me prepare."

Saber nodded dutifully. With that, the man left the gardens along with his Servant. As Caules watched them go, he still couldn't help but wonder who Saber was. From what he was able to read off his stats, he was quite strong.

"Now then~" Everyone turned to Rider as he suddenly began speaking. "What should we be doing next~? There's still plenty of time before sunset, so there has to be something right~?"

Suddenly, an idea grew in his mind.

"Oh~!" He then suddenly grabbed Berserker by the hands. "Berserker, why don't we have a singing contest~? You and I can have everyone else here as an audience~! We could even invite the ones Master calls homunculi, it will be a wonderful experience don't you think~?"

"Hah! Why not? It's not like I will lose or anything." Berserker arrogantly smirked as Caules sighed.

"Then it's settled~!" Rider declared as he turned to Archer. "Come Archer, perhaps you can join in as well~!"

"Ah, I shall have to pass." Archer smiled in apology. "But I am interested in listening. How about it Master? Shall we partake in such activities for now?"

"Hmm..." Fiore began thinking before smiling. "I suppose there isn't any harm."

With that, the entire group left, leaving Caules behind in the garden to sigh once more.

"Such a lively bunch they are. It's like we're not even at war at all..."

* * *

"So this is it..."

Standing just on the outskirts of Trifas were Ruler and Saber. They made their way here by hitchhiking due to Ruler's wish to not spend any more of Laeticia's money on themselves. And both weren't also willing to steal a vehicle either.

The two may have been Heroic Spirits bound into Servant form, but that didn't mean they just go ahead and break the law.

"Trifas... the city where the Holy Grail War shall be taking place."

The first order of business for the night was to find somewhere to stay at. It was getting late, and Laeticia's body was starting to feel the effects of having traveled all day long. Though she could perhaps stave off the effects for a time given her abilities, it wouldn't last long. She would still need to carry on her life as a human despite her existence as a Servant.

"Master, do you feel that?" Saber suddenly inquired.

"Yes, I sense two Servants up ahead." She replied, and with that, Jeanne and Saber materialized their weapons and armor on themselves. The former dropped Laeticia's bag somewhere safe. It was better to leave it here rather than let it get caught in the crossfire. She would have to pick it up later though.

"What do you think? I do not believe it to be a coincidence that there's are two Servants in the direction we are going."

"Indeed, and they're not even fighting." Jeanne nodded. "I'm also getting the same feeling I did when Archer and Berserker attacked me."

Saber immediately understood this. That meant whoever was waiting for them, it was another pair of Servants that were outside of the Fourteen that were summoned to participate in the War in Trifas. That brought the count up of rogue Servants to four then...

"But this isn't what's troubling you?" Saber inquired as he noticed the disturbed look on Jeanne's face.

"I don't know, but..." She paused for a moment. "But whoever is waiting for us... one of them is dangerous beyond compare."

The Knight could only remain silent at this. If his Master believed that one of the Servants they were about to encounter was truly dangerous, then he would have to take her word for it. There was only one thing they could do in regards to this situation.

"Let us proceed with caution then."

* * *

After advancing several kilometers, they found their targets.

One of them was a young man, covered in golden armor with a red gem in the middle of his bare chest. Both his skin and hair were white as snow, his blue eyes being akin to steel. The most unusual feature about him were the cape made out of flames that was floating behind him. He didn't seem the least bothered by it.

The other was a rather attractive young woman with golden hair, her bangs fringed with green. She wore a verdant green outfit, complimented by a pair black gauntlets that were reminiscent of claws and thigh-length black boots. What was most unusual about her were the lion like ears and tail that were protruding out of her body. In her hands was a bow of intricate design.

"Servant Ruler, I take it?"

Both sat on a motorway sign before dropping down onto the ground, never taking their eyes away from the duo, specifically Jeanne herself. The male was able to identify her from one glance alone.

"So it is true... you've managed to summon a Servant of your own." The female commented as she eyed Saber.

"And what of it, Servant Lancer? Servant Archer? Or perhaps... Karna and Atalanta would be better names?" Jeanne questioned.

 **Karna**... Known as the invincible hero of the Mahābhārata, an ancient Indian epic. Born as the son of the Sun God Surya and a human woman called Kunti, he was bestowed with a set of golden armor as confirmation of his heritage. If one were to describe his prowess as a warrior, he was simply overwhelming.

 **Atalanta**... Known as the Chaste Huntress. Though she was born as the princess of Arcadia, Atalanta was abandoned in the mountains immediately after birth, but she survived thanks to divine protection from Artemis. She later became a fervent follower of Artemis, and during her adulthood slew the Calydonian Boar.

"For you to be able to identify us so quickly. Yes, you are indeed Ruler."

With that, a massive spear appeared in Lancer's hands. Both Saber and Jeanne were now on high alert as every fiber in their bodies told them that the spear was dangerous. It was most likely, no, most definitely a Noble Phantasm.

"Allow me to make this quick then. This is a declaration of war." He pointed the massive spear at both with one hand, causing the two to immediately raise their guard.

"Tell me Lancer, Archer," Saber began. "On whose orders do you act? Or perhaps you act of your own free will? Either way, why is it that you are trying to kill my Master, the mediator of this War?"

"We don't know." Lancer replied much to the other duo's surprise. "We've been ordered to kill her, that is all."

"And you just blindly follow through with such an order!?"

"Indeed. I gave my oath to follow my Master's commands, and so I shall." Lancer replied.

"And the same goes for me." Archer added. "Though I have my doubts, as a Servant, I shall obey my Master's commands."

Saber merely glared at both in response. Though he was angry at their blind loyalty, he also respected them for it.

"Who do you wish to take on Archer?" Lancer asked his companion without turning his attention away from the two. "Ruler's Servant seems like the more dangerous foe, but Ruler herself doesn't seem like she'll be any different."

"Any one of them would do. Our orders are to eliminate Ruler after all, her Servant will most likely try to defend her."

"I see." Lancer nodded as he took a stance. "In that case, shall I decide this battle with a singe strike?"

"I think not!"

***CLANG***

With that, a battle between begun just outside the city of Trifas. The first true battle to commence in the Holy Grail War.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well now, I suppose the shit-storm (Excuse the language XD) known as the Holy Grail War has officially begun! As a reminder, I've said before that I'll be following some events of Fate/Apocrypha as they happened in the novel before really divulging the story. That's just how I work.
> 
> In case some of you guys didn't know, Reines and Gray are actual characters from Nasuverse. You guys can look up their existence on the wiki for info or try searching the net for more of it the wiki doesn't suit your tastes. And in regards to Mordred, I decided to keep her gender the same due to the fact that making her male takes away the "DON'T CALL ME A GIRL!" aspect of hers which I really like and find funny at the same time due to the irony in her statements and her choice of apparel.
> 
> As you guys no doubt have noticed by now, there have been a few changes to the Apocrypha Servant Roster, as well as the fact that there's four more Servants that exist outside of the Grail's influence. This is one of the deviations I plan for the story. I also planned on taking out Karna, but that removed the chance of seeing a possible fight between him, Proto-Saber, Proto-Archer, Saber of Black, or Lancer of Red (whose identity I think you guys can guess since the only thing I changed was his class) or all five at the same time XD.


	3. Act I-3: The First Night

Earlier that day... within the Castle of Yggdmillennia.

"Damn you Rider!" Berserker cried out.

"Ahahaha~!" Rider laughed. "There's no need to be such a sore loser Berserker~!"

Just like Rider had suggested, both he and Berserker had a singing contest between the two. Needless to say, Rider won by a landslide after receiving the votes of Fiore, Archer, and most of their homunculi audience. His opponent was not amused.

As a result of that, Berserker was now chasing Rider about within the castle with the intent to hit him hard.

"You only won because you're cute! Don't let it get to your head...!"

"Really? But I thought it was a fair judgement. Isn't that right everyone~?" Rider asked as they passed the homunculi who watched them. All nodded in agreement to his words much to Berserker's growing annoyance at her fellow pinkette.

"Geez, I feel like I'm watching a comedy show right now."

Caules sighed as he watched the chase unfold. Such carefree people his Servant and Rider were. Because they didn't have any real duties at the moment unlike Saber, Archer, and Caster, they were allowed such freedom.

That said, Rider had gotten his vote. There was no denying he had better singing abilities than Berserker did. Though, he secretly kept it to himself since most likely Berserker would throw a tantrum if he did.

"Now that I think about it, why are you so cute!? You're a man aren't you!?"

"Haha! Cuteness has nothing to do with gender~!"

Truer words had never been spoken before in that castle, something that all those who watched the ongoing chase agreed upon.

* * *

***CLANG***

Sparks flew as Saber fought against Lancer, an exchange of blows happened between their respective weapons, it was a clash only few in the world had the ability to keep up with.

"Saber...!" Jeanne called out as she moved to help him.

***WHOOSH***

She quickly stepped back in time as an arrow flew past her head. She glared at Archer who merely had a determined look on her face.

"I am you opponent!"

"Why you...!"

The two females began their own clash, and soon, began to draw themselves away from Saber and Lancer's own conflict. Although the former was worried about Jeanne being by herself, he knew she was a capable fighter on her own. And he couldn't allow himself to be distracted at the moment either.

***CLANG* *CLANG* *SLASH***

Parrying every single one of his opponents strikes with his invisible weapon, Lancer then swung his spear in a wide arc, causing Saber to jump back in order to avoid being hit. Lancer quickly moved, stopping just in front of where Saber would have landed and swung his spear once more.

***CLANG***

Saber quickly blocked as he was sent flying, hitting his back up against a tree. As he regained his footing, Lancer came up once more and swung his spear again, slicing the tree in half as Saber ducked. He needed to be careful. Somehow, Lancer's spear was imbued with flames each time he swung it.

The White Knight then seized his chance to retaliate, swinging his sword at his opponent. Each blow he made however was once again parried by the the latter, and the ones that actually did connect weren't causing any significant damage towards Lancer himself.

_'What is this...? My attacks are connecting but they're not working...?'_

***BAM***

"Argh!"

A powerful punch was directed at Saber's gut, causing the latter to flinch. Lancer then directed several more punches and kicks, each of which connected, before swinging his massive spear at Saber.

"Tch...!" In spite of his current state, Saber quickly reacted and swung his sword hard.

***CLANG***

The moment the two weapons clashed, a small shockwave was emitted that caused pieces of the surrounding area to fly. Lancer backed up after Saber parried his blow, the latter of which only stood his ground as he wiped away some blood that dripped slightly from his mouth.

"Hmm... I see now. You are of the Saber class, there's no doubt about it." Lancer muttered. The way the White Knight moved throughout their exchange, as well as judging from the way their weapons collided, his opponent was indeed a Saber. He could have also been a Rider-Class or perhaps Assassin-Class, but his movements and combat style just led Lancer to Saber instead.

He was also impressed that Saber was able stand up after being punched by him quite hard. Not many were able to do so, especially after a dozen hits.

"And what of it Lancer?" Saber replied. He was taken aback by how tough an opponent Lancer was. It just showed that the Son of the Sun God Surya was not one to be taken lightly. His knowledge of him was little, but it was enough for him to get a grasp of what his opponent could do.

"Nothing. It just means I now have an idea of how you will attack."

***CLANG***

Before Saber knew it, Lancer was in front of him and swung down massive spear upon him. He quickly reacted, blocking it with his sword. The force of the impact caused the ground beneath the White Knight to crack.

"Tch...!"

"...!"

***SLASH***

Suddenly, Lancer found himself being pushed back and another exchange of blows happened between the two.

Sword met spear as sparks flew from every clash between the two weapons. Lancer noted that for some reason Saber's attacks and speed had increased by a larger margin of what he was able to do before.

Earlier, he was on the defensive. But now though, Saber was somehow making a stand. His blows were heavier, faster, like somehow something was propelling them at incredibly fast rates in short bursts.

It was a technique that Lancer himself was all too familiar with, and at the moment, he couldn't use. Not yet anyway.

Saber on the other couldn't believe how strong his opponent was. He was both incredibly fast and strong, and none of his attacks seemed to be affecting him at all. Not one motion performed by Lancer was wasted, all were made to try and counter him, and it was working rather effectively.

By far, Karna was one of the strongest opponents he had ever faced. No one during his own life even came close.

***CLANG* *CLANG***

Both swung their weapons simultaneously at each other, creating a deadlock between the two as they stared each other down.

"You're quite good, Saber."

"And the same to you, Lancer."

Both had mutual smiles on their faces, a sign of their respect for one another.

***WHOOSH***

"...!"

Lancer felt a strong gust of wind release itself from Saber's invisible weapon, and quickly he was blown back by the sudden force. He regained his footing as soon as he landed on the ground, and he looked to see what just happened.

Saber's weapon was no longer invisible. It was shown in its full glory.

To describe it simply, it was a broadsword of ornate design. The blade was covered in a myriad of patterns with a halo-cross just near the hilt. Said hilt and as well as pommel were golden in appearance, strange markings were imprinted upon the former.

The moment he laid eyes on it, Lancer was able to identify the blade despite its origin. Any Heroic Spirit worth their existence would never mistake that weapon for anything else. It was something ingrained into their very being, both for the ones born in the past and those born in the future.

"I can no longer afford to hold back against you Lancer." Saber began. "As a Servant, I have sworn to protect my Master, the very person whom you and Archer are aiming to kill. I shall not stand by idly while you do so... thus, prepare yourself!"

With that, Saber charged. The Holy Sword Excalibur glistening under the moonlight while in his hands.

* * *

"Hah...!"

***SLASH***

Not too far from Saber and Lancer's own battle with one another, one more was occurring between Jeanne and Archer.

The blonde haired Saint sliced down every single arrow aimed at her vital spots. Archer was movements could be summed up as moving in circles, but at the rate she was doing it was simply something else entirely.

In line with her legend, Archer was very swift-footed. Even with her abilities, Jeanne couldn't truly compete with her speed and could only rely on her own instincts to guide her through their battle against one another.

And at such a close range, she couldn't afford to be careless. A few of Archer's shots had already grazed parts of her body, though none of said wounds were bleeding that much for some reason. Still, she could only increase her guard in response.

_'Perhaps I should use my banner...? No, it's still too early use it like that.'_

***SLASH***

She cut down several more incoming arrows, and it was at that point in time Archer spoke.

"What's the matter Ruler? Am I moving to fast for you?" She questioned her boastfully all the while maintaining the stoic expression on her face, and the blonde knight couldn't help but feel annoyed at that.

"You may goad me all you want Archer, but I will not fall for it." Jeanne calmly replied as she carefully watched Archer's movements.

It was at that moment, clarity struck her mind.

_'There...!'_

***SLASH***

"...!"

***CLANG***

Jeanne's sword made contact with Archer's bow and audible sound occurred as both bounced off each other, the former having taken the latter by surprise by suddenly appearing in her path without any warning.

"Hah...!"

She summoned her standard with her free hand, and aimed it towards Archer, the golden-haired female quickly twisting her body to avoid being stabbed as well as avoiding Jeanne's sword as she swung it.

"...!"

Archer raised her leg and tried kicking Jeanne in the face only for the latter to dodge by mere inches. Seeing this, Archer once more twisted her body, performing a roundhouse kick as the blonde raised her arms to shield herself.

She was forced back a small distance, and by the time Jeanne looked at Archer once more, she was already aiming several arrows at her simultaneously.

***SLASH* *SLASH* *SLASH***

Once more, she cut down Archer's assault. Though one got past her and grazed her cheek in the process. Blood now began flowing slightly on the right side of her face, though Jeanne wasn't too bothered by it.

The two stared each other down as they both took a moment to collect themselves from their brief exchange. Archer didn't know how, but from the way Jeanne had moved just now, it was like she was able to predict her actions.

 _'Hmm... perhaps I really should have taken point farther away from here.'_ She noted to herself, an idea that she had already entertained just before she and Lancer had encountered Ruler earlier. However, she was curious to see what kind of person would be summoned as Ruler, and she was also wondering whether or not she really was able to summon a Servant of her own. She could have done that from afar, but she wanted to see them both up close.

Jeanne on the other hand was thinking of new ways to deal with Archer. She was quite fast, and her combat and archery skills surpassed that of Robin Hood.

As was to be expected of the Chaste Huntress. Had it not been for her _Revelation Skill_ , which allowed her to see somewhat into the future in a sense, Jeanne would have had a more difficult time with her.

"Hah...!"

Without any more delay, the two quickly resumed their bout.

* * *

***SLASH* *SLASH* *CLANG***

The sound of two metals colliding with one another echoed throughout the area as Saber and Lancer parried one another's attacks. Each one of their respective blows had a force that was strong enough to cause the Earth beneath them to start breaking apart as they moved.

"...!"

Lancer quickly moved before stopping right in front of Saber.

***CLANG***

Their weapons collided, metal skidding across each other.

***SLASH***

Saber raised his sword for a diagonal cut. However, Lancer's once again took his blow without any major damage. He quickly followed up with a second attack, only for his opponent to counter at that moment.

***CLANG***

Their respective attacks canceled each other out, which then caused to the two fall back momentarily.

 _'Curse it all... this is getting me nowhere.'_ Saber thought. _'Just what is with that armor? Is it truly granting him invincibility just like in his legend? There has to be a limit...'_

The two then quickly charged against one another, trading blows with their weapons once more.

While doing so, Saber pondered on releasing the power of Excalibur against Lancer. Some of the conditions were already met, which meant he could now use a portion of its full abilities. Lancer was someone who was stronger than him, there was no denying that fact, satisfying the first condition. And the fight itself was a one-on-one bout, which satisfied the second condition which dictated that the battle must be honorable.

However, there was one problem to Saber's plan. With such close vicinity of the city, launching such an attack even at a lowered output could result in hundreds of innocent casualties, and he was not about to let his desire to win to overtake his own sense of morality.

"Saber!"

It was at that moment that he noticed Jeanne appearing with Archer on her tail. Both looked appeared to be fine aside from the occasional cut and dirtied up clothes.

"Do not run away!" The latter declared as she took aim with her bow.

"Grr...!"

***SLASH***

The young Saint cut down a slew of arrows heading her way. Before he knew it, Lancer turned away his attention from him and directed it towards Jeanne. Seeing this, Saber reacted as quickly as possible.

"Hah...!"

"...!"

***CLANG***

Using Mana Burst, he quickly overtook Lancer and swung his sword at him. The latter blocked said incoming strike from Saber and skidded across the ground. With this, Master and Servant stood with their backs to one another.

 _"Are you alright?"_ Jeanne asked telepathically in a concerned tone. It was an ability given to a Master and Servant to as to facilitate better communication between them, and Jeanne and Saber were no different in this regard.

 _"I could ask the same about you, Jeanne."_ The White Knight replied while eyeing the blood on Jeanne's cheek.

 _"Archer isn't making it easy._ _I suppose the same goes for you and Lancer, no?"_ She took a moment to glance at the weapon in Saber's hands.

The Holy Sword Excalibur, one of the finest blades to ever exist. For her to be able to lay eyes on it, there was no greater honor for her as a Heroic Spirit. Saber had also released Invisible Air, the Noble Phantasm which covered his sword in wind that allowed it to remain unseen. For him to do such a thing meant only one thing.

_"To do battle against one such as Lancer... there are just no words to describe it. Had I not been quick enough, I would have died at least 17 different times."_

If Saber was saying this, it only meant that her prediction about Lancer being dangerous beyond compare was true.

"Alright... I suppose that's enough games." Lancer spoke up as he took a stance. "I'm sorry Saber, as much as I enjoyed our battle with each other, I still must go through with my Master's orders."

Immediately, red flame like energy began surging from the spear in his hands, and both Knights realized that he was going to release his Noble Phantasm! And judging the amount of mana they could sense, it was something that was incredibly powerful.

"Stop it Lancer! Should you release something of that level here, then the people of this city will-!"

"I know. However, I must eliminate Ruler." He replied. There was no hesitation in his voice. He was going to go through of it regardless of what could happen.

"If that's the case...!"

There was only one response to such a situation, and that was to release his own Noble Phantasm. With that, Excalibur began glowing brightly, causing Archer to raise her bow and take aim at Saber.

"I won't let you...!"

Seeing the situation grow out of hand, Jeanne summoned her standard and held it with both hands as it too began glowing.

***SLASH***

"...!"

The four warriors all widened their eyes in shock as out of nowhere a fifth Servant appeared wielding a greatsword and struck Lancer hard, the latter of which reacted just in time and parried the blow with his spear. Said Servant was a tall male with long platinum-blonde hair that verged on being light grey. He wore ornate heavy armor over black clothing that for some reason exposed his chest that itself was covered by a glowing green sigil.

They all immediately realized that the one before them was a Servant, and Jeanne was quickly able to identify the man as one of the fourteen summoned to take part in the Holy Grail War of Trifas.

He was a Saber-Class Servant, and his identity was none other than **Siegfried** , the hero of the Nibelungenlied epic. A legendary dragon-slayer famed for his killing of the dragon known as Fafnir. He was a hero who could be compared to King Arthur in terms of fame within Europe and parts of the world.

***CLANG* *CLANG* *CLANG***

Following up his initial attack, the newcomer briefly traded blows with Lancer. One blow from the former was so strong that the moment his blade once more met with the latter's spear that Lancer was sent skidding against the ground, with the demigod never losing his stance despite that.

"I believe that is enough of this farce!"

It was then that a rather portly fellow with blonde hair and wearing a white outfit appeared right beside the new Servant. It was quite obvious to them all that he was the Master of the newcomer given the way he had appeared and presented himself. He also turned his eye towards Jeanne and Saber, specifically the former.

"I take it that you are Servant Ruler? And I also take it that man by your side to be the Servant that you have summoned for yourself?" He questioned, noting to himself that Ruler's Servant was most likely Saber-Class due to his weapon of choice.

There was something strange about said sword though, like it was something he should know about...

"Indeed we are. And you are?"

"An honor to meet you Ruler, I am Gordes Musik Yggdmillennia." He introduced himself before gesturing to the Servant beside him. "This is Saber of Black, my Servant."

Saber of Black nodded silently in acknowledgement of Ruler's presence before turning his attention back towards Lancer and Archer. Both Saber and Jeanne noted that he was someone of great power to be able to wield a sword powerful.

Gordes himself turned his attention towards the said Servants, giving them rather unpleasant looks.

"Vile Servants of Red...! You both would dare to attack the mediator of the Holy Grail War that was appointed by none other than the Grail itself!? Such audacity cannot be allowed to stand! Prepare for the retribution about that shall be wrought upon you by both Ruler and her Servant, as well as Saber himself!"

Both responded by merely raising their weapons as Gordes made his declaration. His words were not only an accusation, but also a proposal of cooperation towards Ruler. In his eyes, Lancer's Noble Phantasm could not be ignored. Working together with Ruler and her Servant was the most logical conclusion he came too at that moment.

Lancer's previous strike was most certainly aimed for the two of them, so it would only be natural that Ruler would accept his proposal...

...Or so he had assumed. The young Saint only narrowed her eyes after he spoke. While there was logic in cooperating with him, there was just too many unknowns at the moment for her to make a decision such as that.

The first was that as far as she knew, both Lancer and Archer were Servants who held no connection to the Grail or to her. While for some reason the Command Seals on her back were inert aside from the one that gave her a connection towards Saber, she still felt a connection to every single one of the Servants summoned.

However, those two lacked that. She needed to know why. Were they actually rogue Servants just as she had been suspecting? Or was there more to it? And, working with the Black Faction, as Gordes called his Saber to be a part of, could be seen as breaking her neutral stance despite it being caused by Lancer and Archer.

Thus, there was only one conclusion she could arrive at as the mediator of the war... even if did go against her personal code of ethics, she must remain neutral until the situation became clear to her.

Before she decided to act however, she looked at Saber who noticed her gaze. He understood what she was trying to convey and then spoke telepathically.

_"Whatever is your will, I shall follow you as your Servant."_

Hearing this, she made her decision.

"I-"

Before she could even speak her mind, something unexpected happened.

***CRACKLE***

The loud sound of lightning echoed throughout the air as a bolt struck the ground that acted as the center between herself and Saber, Gordes and Saber of Black, and Lancer and Archer.

Looking up, she saw what had caused it.

"A chariot!?"

It was a flying chariot being pulled by two large bulls. It floated its way down to their level as the lightning bolts began to die out.

On said chariot was a man with a rather large build with red hair and a matching red mantle with fur trimming. Beside him stood a man wearing a suit with red scarf. He had long black hair, the expression on his face being rather stoic.

"All of you, sheathe your weapons. You are in the presence of a King!" The larger man began, smiling as he noticed that all were looking at him. "I am Iskandar, King of Conquerors. I also go by the name Rider of Red in this Grail War."

Performing such an entrance, those who witnessed looked on in shock at how brazenly Rider of Red had declared his identity to them. The man beside him, most likely his Master, was only sighing at this as though it was something he knew would happen.

"The King of Conquerors...?" Saber was honestly surprised to meet a famous figure and a fellow King like himself.

"Why is it that I feel a sense of deja vu?" Rider's Master muttered to himself while massaging his temple.

"You told me before that I did this once during our last partnership right? It's only natural for me to do it again!" Rider replied with a big smile as he turned his attention back towards the others. "I have been watching you all closely for a time now, and I feel I must declare this."

He looked directly at Gordes who flinched in response at Rider's stare. Saber of Black quickly stood in front of his Master just in case.

"You there! Don't you go accusing us of anything you hear me!?" Rider declared while pointing a finger at both Lancer and Archer. "Those two aren't part of our team, so don't go running your mouth unless you have your facts straight!"

The plump man was taken back by this. He was being accused of being a fool by a Servant of all things!

"Wait, you blew our cover for something like that?"

"We would have been found out sooner or later. Might as well make a big entrance right?" Rider smiled. "Besides, being accused of things we never even had part in wouldn't do us any favors with Ruler now won't it?"

While he said this, he glanced at Jeanne herself.

"Worthless little...! Do you honestly expect us to believe-!" Gordes began but was interrupted.

"No, I can most definitely vouch for Rider's statement." Jeanne spoke up as all turned to her. "As Ruler, I have an innate connection towards all Servants who have been summoned to participate in the Grail War of Trifas."

She glanced at her would be assassins, both of whom were looking more and more concerned with the current situation.

"However, both Lancer and Archer are Servants whom have no connection to me whatsoever. I suppose you all can understand that for what it means."

Gordes looked honestly surprised at that, as did Saber of Black along with Rider's Master.

"So what Kotomine said was true..." The latter muttered to himself. He would need to discuss this with the others later. Rider on the other hand had other thoughts as he gazed at Ruler.

"Speaking of which, greetings to you Ruler." He greeted and smiled at the young Saint. "I've heard good things about you. Mind joining my army once you're done with the Grail War? Someone of your nature can help inspire my troops."

Jeanne did not expect such a question, as did those around her except for Rider's master.

"It's an honor to meet you as well, King of Conquerors." She began. "However, I will have to decline on that offer. My role is only to ensure that this Holy Grail War is held correctly. Other than that, I have no wishes to be anything else other than who I am."

"Well that's too bad. Hey, you two! How about you both join my army?" Rider asked as he looked at Lancer and Archer, much to the astonishment of those around, most especially the two he had asked in the first place.

"Wait, what kind of logic is that!?" His companion quickly began. "First you declare that we're not with them, and now you're suggesting they join you!?"

"Well its not like I'm lying now is it? I mean after all, we weren't allied with them during their attack on Ruler." Rider casually explained. "I also happen to like them. They're both good, they'd make fine additions to my army!"

"Why am I not surprised?" The man sighed as Rider turned back to look at both Lancer and Archer.

"Well what do you say? Wanna join up with me?" He asked with a big smile, causing both to shake their heads at the situation presented before them.

"I refuse." Lancer was the first to respond. "I have already pledged my service to another, and I will not break that oath no matter the circumstances, King of Conquerors."

"I too refuse. Much like Lancer, I intend to keep the oath I've made as a Servant to fight alongside my Master." Archer stated.

It was then that the Chaste Huntress turned around and began walking, quickly catching the attention of her companion.

"Are you planning on abandoning the task we have been given, Archer?"

"We've already failed it." She replied as she turned to look at him. "At the moment, we're in the presence of four different Servants. We can't possibly complete it in the way our Masters would wish it to be finished."

For a few moments, Lancer remained silent as he contemplated Archer's words.

"Indeed, I suppose you do have a point." The massive spear in his hands dissipated as he began following Archer.

"Wait a minute the both of you!" Gordes began. "We're not done here-!"

"If you wish to follow us, then by all means." Lancer interrupted him with a stare, causing the portly man to freeze in place. "However, be sure that it shall be your final decision, for both you and your Saber will not be allowed to retreat afterwards."

With that, both of them jumped into the air and dissipated into spirit form soon after.

"Tch...! Of all the brazen audacity..." Gordes cursed. He was then reminded there was still another problem he had to deal with.

Both he and Saber of Black turned their full attention towards the Master and Servant duo of the Red Faction.

"Hmm? What is it? Do you two want to fight?" Rider said, noticing their stares. "Do you both honestly believe now is the time for that kind of nonsense?"

"Why not? We are enemies after all." Gordes replied as he looked at Rider's Master. "Waver Velvet, I know why you and your people are here. Just to make it clear now, none of you shall be laying a hand on the Greater Grail."

"Hmph. Arrogance doesn't serve any use for anyone Gordes Musik Yggdmillennia." Waver replied curtly.

"Hah! As if Alexander the Great can defeat my Saber! He was a King, not a warrior! He can't possibly defeat Saber of Black!" The former boasted.

"Hey, I'm standing right here." Rider complained before eyeing Saber of Black. "That said, how about you Saber of Black? Would you like to join us?"

Saber shook his head in response, causing the larger man to sigh in disappointment.

"Hahaha...! Do you truly plan on trying to recruit every Servant you see?"

A voice cut through the air as gold mist formed in the air and slowly descended down towards the ground. A man appeared from it wearing golden armor of ancient design and feel. On the back of his armor were two long swords. He had blonde hair swept back except of a single strand that dangled in his face and red eyes. He outfit gave a view of his muscular body.

Using her abilities, Jeanne tried identifying the man in front of them. She widened her eyes once she was finished. She could only stare at the golden-clad man in shock. She didn't think that someone as old and powerful as him would be summoned as a Servant!

"Hoh? You're a little late Goldie." Rider quipped. "And here I thought you were going to miss out on the fun."

"Fool, the only reason I've arrived as late as I did is because you and your Master left without even notifying us first." The man in gold replied, giving off an annoyed aura. "At any rate, the little girls, and that barbarian looking man are on their way towards that villa you spoke of. Though when they arrive is not much concern to me."

"I see. Thank you for the information Archer." Waver said in response. He was slightly wondering as to how Archer was able to so quickly catch up with them.

Archer of Red didn't reply as he then turned his attention fully towards Ruler, the blonde knight putting up her guard as he did so.

"Hmph. So you are Ruler?" He said in distaste, quickly identifying her as he stared her down.

While he admitted that she was quite a beauty, he could tell from one glance that she was someone of common background. That all the more made her existence as the Ruler-Class Servant to be quite insulting for him, the King, to acknowledge.

"Tell me, woman. Under whose authority do you act as Ruler?" Archer began.

"No one. I act only as a mediator for the Holy Grail War, to ensure that it be fought properly." Jeanne replied, not at all taken back by the Golden Servant's stare.

"Hoh? Is that right? Well then, tell me something. Do you know what it means to be a Ruler?"

"What it means...?" Jeanne muttered, somewhat confused at Archer's words.

"If you do not know what it means... perhaps I should show you!"

"...!?"

***CLANG***

Before Jeanne even noticed it, Saber stood in front of her and deflected an incoming projectile. She looked to see what said projectile was, and she saw a finely crafted blade instead of the arrow she had expected to see.

"Is that... a Noble Phantasm?" Gordes muttered to himself as he saw the weapon dissipate into air soon afterwards.

"Have you no shame, Archer?" Saber questioned as looked the one responsible. "Even if that blade was only meant to scare her, that's still no excuse to attack her."

"Hoh? You have good reflexes... and you even managed to guess my intent." Archer replied as he observed the sword in Saber's hands. "Hmm, that sword... it's not something I've seen before. Who are you? Something of that caliber, only a truly special being can ever hope to wield it."

It wasn't so much of a question that it was a demand. Nonetheless, Saber fully intended to reply.

"I am Arthur Pendragon, King of Britain. I am the Saber-Class Servant that Ruler has summoned."

All, save Archer of Red and Jeanne herself, looked on in slight awe but at the same time expected his answer. After all, who else could wield such as magnificent blade and use it quite efficiently? And there was only one sword in the world that he wielding, for no other could give off such a powerful sensation as it did.

"My, my, no wonder that sword looked familiar!" Rider whistled in honest surprise. "I never expected to meet the King of Knights here. This is quite the honor!"

"And the same holds for me as well, King of Conquerors." Saber nodded in acknowledgement of the larger man's presence. "Since you declared your identity, I felt that it would be shameful of me to hide my own should I be questioned."

"Indeed, indeed." Rider nodded. "No true King should be ashamed of their identity. It's as shame Goldie over here is so tight lipped about his though."

That caught Saber's attention. So the man in gold was also a King himself?

"Fool. I've already mentioned that you all should figure it out for yourselves." Archer replied with an annoyed look on his face. "What hope is there for fools if they continually must seek answers from others?"

"I suppose you have a point." Rider commented. "At any rate, sorry about Goldie over here. He's a little twitchy at the fact that there's a Ruler-Class Servant."

Jeanne nodded in understanding, though she gave Archer of Red a cautious look as she did so.

It was at that moment something came to mind, and the current situation presented her with the ability to bring it to fruition due to a Master from each faction standing before her.

"Twitchy!? He tried to attack her!" Gordes suddenly exclaimed. "As I thought, you members of the Red Faction cannot be trusted. I-!"

"Please wait a moment!" Jeanne called out as everyone stared at her, causing the blonde saint to flinch at the sudden attention.

"A-Ah right." She began, clearing her voice somewhat. "As the mediator of the Holy Grail War, I hereby declare a temporary ceasefire that shall begin from this moment onward until the next three days."

"What? Explain the meaning of this woman!" Archer demanded of the other blonde.

"There are several anomalies in the Holy Grail War that I have noticed since my summoning as Ruler." She began. "One of those anomalies were the two Servants that had left before you arrived Archer. You can ask Rider and his master for more information regarding that subject."

The golden-clad man looked at said duo for a moment before turning his attention back towards Ruler.

"I would like to have a day or two of investigation so that I may be able to ascertain the situation better before any battles between your two factions truly commence. I fear that there is more to this Holy Grail War than what I myself know, and I may need the aid of both factions should the occasion arise. Which is why I urge you all to remain civil for the time being."

"Very well." Waver replied as everyone looked at him. "Your reasoning is sound, as such we shall hold a ceasefire until then. Is that alright with you?"

He looked at Gordes as he spoke. The plump older man was starting to get weary of the events that were happening before him.

"I shall have to take this up with Darnic." He replied. "But I believe he will agree with the ceasefire Ruler has issued. We shall send a message to you should we agree to it. Come Saber, let us take our leave."

Saber of Black nodded, giving one last look towards all the other Servants, specifically his fellow Saber-class. The two exchanged nods at one another, the King of Knights giving his fellow class member a sign of his thanks for stepping in earlier. Soon afterwards, both men were gone.

"Alright then, I suppose that's settled." Waver commented.

"Tch! Spoiling my fun as a King... such insolence!" Archer muttered as he sheathed his blades. Just when he was getting quite excited about fighting for the first time since his summoning, his brief exchange of blows with Saber of Red not withstanding.

"I thank you for your understanding." Jeanne said as she walked up to Waver, holding out a hand. The man took it and they shook.

"Well I suppose a ceasefire isn't so bad. That amount of time, I could probably get the rest of the Black Servants to come work for me by then!" Rider thought aloud with a smile on his face, clearly dead serious with his plans.

"Were you born an idiot?" Archer couldn't help but state.

"Perhaps. But, it doesn't change the fact that I'm the King of Conquerors now does it?"

"Hmph. Foolishness." The golden-clad Servant stated as he began dissipating into spirit form. He exchanged one last look with Saber and Ruler just before he did though.

We're far from finished yet. Those where the words that came to mind when they looked back at him, the words that Archer was most likely thinking of himself.

"Well I suppose that wraps up our meeting for tonight." Rider began as held the reins of his chariot. He then gave one last look towards Jeanne and Saber himself.

"Though our meeting was somewhat short, I suppose it couldn't be helped." He said before he broke out a smile. "I hope our next meeting will be much more enjoyable, King of Knights, Saint of France. Farewell!"

With that, lightning burst forth as his chariot flew into the air.

Jeanne only smiled in response at his words. From the way Rider had spoke and bared himself, he was a man worthy of respect. Saber too had the same thoughts. He was curious to see what would happen with someone like the King of Conquerors being summoned as a Servant in the Grail War.

"I suppose we should be taking our leave as well?"

"Yes, let us-"

Jeanne suddenly fell forward leading to Saber catching her before she hit the ground. The armor she wore disappeared and in its place was the school uniform Jeanne wore as her civilian clothes.

"I see," Saber began as he realized what had happened. "Your body is already at its limit, isn't it?"

"I'm sorry. But fighting against Archer with Laeticia's body already tired out from travelling all day... this was the result." She muttered, her eyes barely open. She was pushing it quite closely during that fight.

"No need to apologize." The White Knight replied in a gentle tone. "Sleep for now, I will take care of the rest."

Jeanne dozed off at Saber's words, leaning closer into him. With her like this, he noted that she really did look different. She didn't look like the proud and dignified Saint who took up arms in order to defend her country against foreign invaders, but the young maiden that she was before all that.

Carrying her piggyback style, he thought aloud his next move.

"Now then... to find somewhere to stay for the night."

* * *

"Hmm... how interesting."

A woman spoke as she watched the events of that night unfold through a crystal ball. She wore a black and purple dress that was mostly concealed by the black hooded cloak that she wore.

"Did something happen Master?"

A young boy questioned as he appeared beside her. He had orange hair and blue eyes, and he wore an outfit that signified his membership to the Yggdmillennia clan, otherwise known as the Black Faction. The only difference between his outfit and the rest was that he wore shorts instead of pants.

His name was Roche Frain, and the woman beside him was none other than Caster of Black.

"No, no, nothing has happened." She replied before giving him an amused smile. "And what have I told you about calling me Master? I am your Servant after all. Call me Teacher instead, it's much more appropriate."

"Ahaha, I'm sorry. It was force of habit." Roche smiled in response while scratching the back of his head. "So what exactly did you see Teacher? Was it something good?"

"Perhaps. It's quite too early to say at the moment." Caster replied as she turned around and began walking. "Come, we have to finish preparations before our enemies decide to come and strike at us here."

"Yes!"

Her master spoke with joyful enthusiasm, which was not that surprising considering that he was a child of about twelve years old. She was also grateful that she wasn't summoned by someone of lesser character, and with the allies she had as a member of the Black Faction, perhaps her wish could come true.

_'Still... to think she would appear.'_

What surprised her tonight was the appearance of Archer. She hadn't expected to see her, much less as an outsider of the grail war. She also took note of both Ruler and Saber, the latter in particular interesting her due to his identity. If she could Archer and him to fight on their side, then perhaps...

No, now wasn't really the time to distract herself with such thoughts. She had other duties to fulfill, and that was to create a solid defense for their castle.

With that, Servant of Magic continued with her tasks.

* * *

"So this is going to be our base of operations for the time being?"

Kairi questioned as he, along with Reines, Gray, Saber, and Lancer, stood in front of a rather luxurious villa on a side of a mountain, having just arrived there that night. Waver and Rider had gone on ahead to Trifas without warning to do a little reconnaissance, leaving them a note on where to meet up, with Archer having apparently chased after them on his own much to Reines' annoyance.

If Kairi had one thing to say regarding such places, it was that he felt like a sitting duck. He much preferred simple homes and caves for that matter.

"Does that trouble you Mr. Shishigou? This is a villa my family had taken off the hands of a Magus who had been indebted many years ago. Though the building is old, the magecraft that protects it should still be working even to this day." Reines said.

"No, it's not that really that at all. I just feel like we're a little exposed where we are." He replied as he pointed to the Yggdmillennia Castle in the far distance. While at this range one wouldn't be able to make out any of the people living there, a Servant could easily do so. However, it was mitigated slightly by the trees that covered them as well as the boundary field that was set up.

"And why would you say that we're exposed?" The blonde girl questioned, gesturing to said features that Kairi had just noted down himself.

"Well I once knew a guy who could easily bypass any of these defenses from a distance." He began. "I don't know if he's dead or alive, but if he was here, anybody who didn't know about him would be easy pickings."

"Oh? How would he go about it?"

"He'd probably get something like a rocket launcher and just blow the cap of the mountain. After all, boundary fields are more in line to protect against magic, not against nature itself." Kairi replied.

"A rocket launcher? You mean he's not a mage?"

"Oh no, he's definitely a mage. He's just more like a mercenary like myself." He once again replied. "Anyhow, that's something that's in the past. Too long to talk about without a drink in my hand."

Reines gave him a look before heading into the villa, and both the other two Masters were about to do the same when suddenly...

"I feel like doing a little exercising." Lancer muttered to himself as he began stretching. "Say Saber, to pass the time, why don't we spar a little?"

"And what would be the point of that?" Saber replied in an annoyed tone.

"Come on, don't be so cold." The green-haired spearsman said with a smile. "After all, you can't honestly tell me with a straight face that you're not the least bit bored doing basically nothing all this time."

A few moments of silence passed as Saber contemplated his words.

"Fine, have it your way." She replied, before glaring at him suddenly. "However, if you hold back on me because you see me as a woman, I will hurt you."

 _'Whoa, such a dangerous stare.'_ Lancer flinched comically, his male senses telling him she was completely serious. "I swear on my good word that I won't."

With that, both began walking into the forest to find a decent spot for a spar. They both stopped in their tracks when suddenly...

"Oi, don't just go on making decisions on your own!" Kairi exclaimed while pointing a finger to himself and Gray. "What happened to asking for our permissions first?"

"Ah, that's right." Lancer spoke up in realization. "Say Master, can we spar?"

"You may, but please don't go on ahead and try to kill each other." Gray spoke quietly before heading into the villa. Kairi could only stare at the girl's back incredulously as Saber and Lancer went on their way, the former not even asking Kairi for his permission. Only giving him a look which only made him nod.

"Christ, some people..." He muttered to himself as he rubbed the back of his neck.

"Ah, Shishigou."

The sound of lightning and thunder in the air and as well as his own name being called out caused said man to look up into the sky to see Rider and Waver riding on a chariot being pulled by two bulls, which itself descended on to the ground.

"El-Melloi, you're back sooner than I thought." The necromancer said. "Something happened?"

It was at that time Archer appeared in physical form with both his arms crossed and with a rather sour look on his face. He walked past Kairi, heading straight for the inside of the building. Kairi could only wonder what would cause him to have such a look on his face.

"What's the deal with him?"

"A lot happened." Waver replied as he got off. "Where are the others?"

"That blonde kid and that girl you call your apprentice are inside the villa. Saber and Lancer went sparring in the woods. And that Kotomine kid and Assassin took off somewhere else for some reason. He said that they would be bringing a trump card to the city."

"A trump card? And that would be?" Rider spoke up, honestly curious.

"No clue." Kairi replied to the giant man who looked disappointed. "And now that we're by ourselves, I gotta be honest. I don't trust him that much, everything about him just screams wrong to me."

If he had to be honest with himself, if the kid was the one leading them, he would have had second thoughts about joining up with the group.

"Believe me, I have my suspicions of him as well." Waver nodded in agreement as he crossed his arms. "But for now, he hasn't actually done anything. Let's just keep him at arms length for the time being."

"You mind if that arm be my shotgun?" The sunglasses wearing man smirked.

"By all means, go right ahead."

* * *

"Hmm... I didn't expect for Saber of Black and Rider of Red to interfere."

Inside a room sitting on a chair was Shirou Kotomine. Beside him was Assassin, standing near him with both hands on his shoulders.

"See? Did I not say that sending Lancer after Ruler instead of Archer and Berserker that day would have been more ideal? Now we don't even have the element of surprise regarding both him and Archer." She said.

"It's already too late to wallow in the past, but I see your point." Shirou replied.

"Now, what do you plan on doing next? With a ceasefire declared, we won't be able to do anything for the next three days." Assassin inquired as she leveled her head near his, all the while directing a smile at him.

"Just like before. Wait and see what happens. Another opportunity will rise once more, that much I can assure you." He said as he stood up. "Let us check on Berserker and Caster shall we? We can plan our next move then."

"Ugh, that mad writer?" Assassin groaned while crossing her arms, a frown appearing on her beautiful face. "How is it that man came to be considered a Heroic Spirit is beyond me. He's nothing more than a raving lunatic who thinks every person around him is a character in a story!"

"Hehe, I suppose that's part of his charm isn't it?"

"Why anyone would even want him as a Servant..." Assassin began as they both left the room together.

* * *

The next day...

"Ugh..."

Sitting up slowly, Jeanne awoke from her slumber as rays of sunlight shined down upon her face. She felt quite rested, especially after the events of last night, her wounds now having healed.

Looking around, she noticed that she was on a bed inside a room made up of wooden furnishings. She also noticed that Laeticia's bag was in the corner, laid out on a small desk. She noted to herself that most likely Saber retrieved it for her. She would have to thank him for that later.

Getting up, she put on her shoes and walked out of the room and into a hallway. There she came across someone.

"Ah, it looks like you're finally awake."

It was an elderly woman wearing a nun's habit. She had a kind expression on her face as she smiled at Jeanne.

"I am Alma Petresia, I am a sister of this church." She introduced herself. "You were asleep when your friend came by with you on his back seeking shelter last night."

"Oh my, my apologies for intruding on you like this." Jeanne bowed her head.

"Now, now, God teaches us that we must show kindness to those in need. Isn't that right dear?"

"Yes, I suppose it is indeed." The blonde haired girl smiled in response.

"Besides, your companion was kind enough to help us out this morning."

"Help out?"

* * *

"Ah, it's good to see you awake Jeanne."

"Saber...?"

Jeanne and the sister walked towards a room in the church which contained a dining table and a kitchen in one part. There, she saw her Servant wearing his casual clothes sans his black longcoat. In its place instead was an apron of all things.

On said table was an array of food ready to be eaten. A few other members of that church were already seated and ready to eat.

"Saber? I thought your name was Arthur?" The sister questioned.

"Ahaha, it's just a nickname that stuck." Saber replied while smiling. "I happen to be quite good with a sword you see, and that's why I'm called Saber."

"Ah, that makes sense."

Later, all were now seating around the table. The sister called for a short prayer, to which everyone participated in. Afterwards, they began eating.

That is, all except Jeanne. The girl couldn't help but stare somewhat at her breakfast for that day, as well as the meals the others also had, and then looking back and forth between said meals and Saber.

"Hmm? Is something the matter?" He asked, noticing the looks she had been giving him.

"Eh? Ah...! Nothing is wrong. I'm just surprised that's all." She began, embarrassed at being caught. "Saber, you can cook?"

The young Saint was honestly and completely surprised by this fact. Never had she expected King Arthur to know how to cook a meal during the 21st Century.

"Somewhat. My father and brother didn't know how to cook at all, leaving me as the responsible one in our family after mother passed on." Saber replied as he began reminiscing somewhat before turning his attention back towards Jeanne. "And in order to compensate for our stay here, I offered to help out in anyway. The cook for the day was sick, so I volunteered."

 _"Besides, thanks to the knowledge given to us by the Grail, I'm know enough on how to make a healthy meal by modern day standards."_ He telepathically added.

"I see." Jeanne nodded in response. That seemed logical enough, and the two men Saber was talking in his family were most likely Sir Ector and Sir Kay, his foster father and brother respectively. She was curious to learn more about them, but decided to drop the subject for now as she took a bite.

She froze when she did however.

"My, my, Arthur, this isn't half-bad." Sister Petresia commented. "For someone who says he hasn't cooked a meal for years now, you've managed to retain some of your skill. This is even better than what Francis usually makes."

"Not at all. I only followed the notes I found in one of your recipe books. It's easy to understand if one knows what they're doing."

Saber replied in a humble tone for it was true. While he knew how to cook, he would be the first to admit that he wasn't good, a result of following through with the idea of "quantity over quality" from his time. However, thanks to the cook book owned by the church, he was able to learn more about the topic and improve himself, resulting in what he considered a good meal. A sentiment shared by the others by the looks of it.

Unbeknownst to him, his Master on the other hand couldn't help but sulk for some reason as she continued to eat. Something inside her felt like it was defeated, and she wasn't even sure if said feeling came from either her or Laeticia!

* * *

"Ah, this is so much better than sleeping inside a cave."

Saber of Red sighed in relaxation as she lazily laid on the bed inside the room where she and her Master stayed.

"That Lancer, what is he made of?"

Her thoughts went back to last night during her spar with Lancer of Red. Despite giving it her best, almost none of her attacks made him flinch even a bit. She found it insulting to say the least, especially since during that time the green-haired spearsman had a mocking smile on his face while they fought.

Once their enemies were defeated, she'd turn her attention towards him first after she settled her business with the Golden Archer.

"Now that I think about it, where is Master?"

Heading out, she walked throughout the villa. Since it wasn't that big, she was easily able memorize which rooms were what and who they belonged to.

Saber kept walking, to which she then came across another room. It was at that point she sensed the presence of her Master inside. Satisfied at having found him, she reached out to the doorknob.

"Hey Master, I-"

"You're kidding me... You mean to actually tell me that Ruler's Servant is King Arthur himself?"

Saber of Red froze as she heard her Master speak aloud a name she was all too familiar with.

* * *

"Lord Darnic."

Darnic looked up from his desk as female homunculus stood at the door to his office.

"What is it?" He questioned.

"The Master of Assassin has arrived." She replied. "He is waiting just outside the door."

"Ah, bring him in."

The female homunculus did as told and opened the door. At that, a young man entered the room wearing what looked to be a brown Japanese school uniform for some reason. He had black hair and eyes, and he also wore square-framed glasses.

"It's about time you finally arrived Julian, I was expecting you to have been here yesterday."

"My apologies." Julian replied. "My flight was delayed."

"No matter then." Darnic said as he walked over to the teen. "And your Servant?"

At that, several figures appeared inside the room. All of them wore black clothing and had black skin, and all of them wore somewhat identical skull masks. They all had the presence of a Servant.

"Ah, Hassan-I-Sabbah, or rather, the Hundred Face Hassan." Darnic smiled. "With this, the Servants of Black are now together at last."

While Darnic was quite pleased with Assassin's arrival, he didn't notice the look that Julian gave him.

_'Indeed. With this, we are one step closer to our goal...'_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> With that, the first night of the Holy Grail War is done. Once again, I've already said that I'm not good at fight scenes, so I leave the rest for you guys to imagine.
> 
> Just in case some of you guys are wondering why Proto-Saber can cook, there's a good reason for that. During my free time looking into Fate/Prototype, I've come across several official images, I think, that for some reason depict Arthur wearing an apron and armed with a spatula or a frying pan. And if memory serves right, in F/P: Fragments, I read a summary of a chapter which says that Proto-Saber can cook. So, knowing that, I took it from there and included it here.
> 
> And I also decided to put a bit of Emiya Shirou in him too (Especially since Arthur is more like Shirou than Altria to begin with) in that he's kinda good in the kitchen, mostly thanks to learning a bit more about it, unlike the F/P: Fragments novels where apparently it's only "meh" or something. Well, it's a least better than Altria who does nothing but freeload off Shirou in F/HA XP. That said, I won't make Arthur a "food god" that so many authors end up doing Emiya Shirou that it's not even funny.
> 
> Anyway, Iskandar's entrance in this chapter was more or less inspired/taken from his F/Z intro to Saber and Lancer. In F/A, Siegfried and Karna fought each other from night until the sun came up, but here they only traded a few blows, and this time Atalanta joined in on the fun.
> 
> That's it for now. Please review :D


	4. Act I-4: The Meeting

"Hmm~"

Humming a tune as she worked, Jeanne washed the plates and other kitchenware used that morning after volunteering to do so. After all, it wouldn't have been fair if Saber was the only one helping out and she would be doing nothing herself.

Doing such an activity also reminded her somewhat of her life as a farm girl. Doing chores for someone else, friendly people all around, it all gave off a nostalgic feeling.

During said task, she began thinking about her plans for the day.

 _'Now then... what should I be doing next?_ _With the ceasefire I've asked for, I now have at least three days of peace. That should provide me enough time to investigate the strange occurrences that have happened since the beginning of the Grail War.'_

The first order of business would be to go visit the Yggdmillennia Castle. She had yet to receive any formal response on whether or not the Masters of Black agree to the ceasefire or not. And there was also the fact that if her assumptions were right, then the Holy Grail was hidden somewhere in their castle. It was an assumption she based on Gordes' words towards the man known as Waver Velvet last night.

Although it was a long shot, perhaps she could convince their leader to allow her to have a look at it. Her investigation should flow smoothly if she could somehow make use of the Grail to possibly learn anything she missed when she was first summoned.

Such things included the existence of Servants outside of her connection to other fourteen, her special privilege being present yet inactive, and the reason as to why she was summoned into a physical body instead of a spiritual one...

Then again, that could fail. She wasn't exactly a mage, so the only thing she was betting on that would allow her to access it was her title as Ruler. She supposed she would just have to deal with it later on...

Finishing up, she dried her hands and went outside for some fresh air. It was the first time that day she stepped outside, and when she did, she was greeted to the sight of a lovely morning. The big blue sky with the sun shining brightly... truly somethings never change.

The church itself was located in a rural section of the city, close towards some of the forest areas that surrounded the city itself. In the distance, she saw the Yggdmillennia Castle settled on the side of a mountain. The design of the building looked to be quite intimidating, no doubt it was made that way intentionally by the magi who lived there in order to ward away trespassers of normal nature.

Jeanne then looked around her surroundings, and at that point she noticed Saber seating by himself reading a book, and going by the expression on his face, he was enjoying it too. She also concluded that Saber must've already finished the other chore the Sister had given him that day after his work in the kitchen, which was chopping firewood if the axe and large stacks of logs not too far from him were of any indication.

When she looked closely, she noted that the book he was reading was none other than the very same book she chose to preoccupy herself with during her journey to Glastonbury. "The Once and Future King" by T.H. White.

Basically, that meant Saber was reading a book about himself and his Knights, the thought of which brought an amused smile to her face for some reason. Jeanne then walked over to him, catching the young man's attention.

"Is there something you wish to speak about?" Saber asked as he greeted her with a smile of his own.

"Nothing really." She replied as she sat beside him. "What do you think about that book?"

"To be honest? Somewhat amusing." He chuckled briefly. "It feels rather strange to read a book about oneself, especially when that book already treats you and your comrades as people of legend."

Ruler couldn't help but giggle at this. "Saber, you and your knights are people of legend."

"Perhaps, but it's a strange feeling nonetheless." He replied, and it was that moment that Jeanne was reminded of something.

Come to think of it, she had yet to tell Saber the truth of the Rogue Berserker's identity. She had forgotten all about it after she and Saber introduced themselves to each other, coupled with their flight towards Romania, and later battle against Lancer and Archer. Events kept happening that it became buried in the back of her mind.

She didn't know how to break it to him. She just couldn't go on and say "Oh Saber, I forgot. The Berserker that attacked us in Glastonbury is Sir Lancelot." And there was another thing that was on her mind...

According to legend, Sir Lancelot was still someone whom King Arthur considered a friend in spite of his and the Queen's betrayal of him through their affair. And given what she already knew of Saber as a person, she knew this to be very much the case.

And if so, how would Saber react to the knowledge that his close friend had been summoned as Berserker-Class Servant?

At the moment, she didn't know what to do. Perhaps it would best to just keep it to herself for now, at least until Berserker showed up again. Maybe then she would find the courage to tell Saber who he was.

"Jeanne?"

"Eh?"

She failed to notice that she had been staring at Saber for a good while with the latter being aware of it himself if the somewhat confused look her was giving her was of any indication.

"Is something the matter?"

"A-Ahaha~" She quickly stood up. "N-Nothing is wrong!"

"Your stuttering says otherwise." Saber stated as the other blonde froze.

"Really, there's nothing wrong." Jeanne once more assured her Servant. "I'm just thinking we should now be heading to the Castle owned by the Masters of Black. After all, we have still yet to receive any notification of them agreeing to the ceasefire. And there's something I need to confirm at there as well."

"No, I'm afraid that at the moment you cannot." The Knight suddenly spoke up in a stern tone.

"Eh?"

"You know what I said." Saber began. "You should at least take more time for yourself to relax. I don't think Laeticia is going to take kindly to the fact that you'll be running her body ragged so soon especially after yesterday."

Jeanne wanted to refute this, but found logic in Saber's words.

"It's still early in the morning, so take some time for yourself. We can go the Black Faction later in the afternoon or perhaps tomorrow. Am I understood?"

"Saber," The young Saint began with a pout on her face. "Right now, it feels like you're the Master instead of me."

"Haha, is that right?" Saber merely smiled in response.

"Hmph!" Jeanne turned around in a huff, mildly annoyed with her Servant at that moment.

"My, my, it seems you two are getting along."

Both looked to see Alma Petresia standing there with an amused smile on her face.

"Sister, good morning." Jeanne greeted. "Do you need something of us?"

"Yes, I was hoping to ask Arthur if he can go into the city and buy a few things for me."

"I can do that. What is it that you need?" Saber asked as he stood up.

"It's nothing much, just simple grocery shopping." She gave him a list that detailed what to buy, the location of the market on where to buy said items, as well as giving him the money to do so. "At this hour, the store isn't open yet. But, if you get in line early, you can get the best produce for yourself if you're quick."

"Alright then, I suppose should get going now." The young man stated as he turned to leave.

"Wait, I'll come with you." Jeanne said.

"Hmm? I can do this myself." Saber replied while adding one last thing through telepathy. _"Also, what have I just told you?"_

"I'm not so feeble that I would strain myself doing a little shopping." Jeanne simply stated in response, giving a rather snippy look towards Saber. "Also, men can't be trusted to be by themselves without having someone to look after them. Most likely, you'll get yourself into trouble without me."

The Knight could only give off an amused smile at her words, deciding to relent to his Master's decision. With that, they both turned to leave.

"Ah, wait you two." The Sister called out as both stopped in their tracks. "You don't think of walking there are you? Come, I have something you both can use instead. You'll find it much more convenient than just walking back and forth."

"...?" The duo looked at her confused as they followed the nun.

* * *

"What the hell am I watching right now?"

That early morning, Kairi stood somewhat speechless as he watched Waver Velvet, known mostly by the name El-Melloi II, playing a videogame known as "Admirable War Tactics III" together with Rider of Red, who himself was Alexander the Great, the King of Conquerors. The former also happened to be wearing nothing more than a t-shirt and boxer shorts, looking nothing like the dignified magus he presented himself most of the time.

The surrealism of the moment was just too great for words.

"Ack! I've been playing this game for years, how do you keep beating me!?" Waver demanded.

"Hahaha! You forget that I've been on actual military conquests boy!" Rider laughed.

"Stop calling me boy! I'm about the same age as you already."

"Really?"

"Ahem." Kairi coughed, catching the attention of both. "Looks like the two of you are having fun."

"Oh, Saber's Master, wanna join in on the fun?" Rider asked.

"Not really." The necromancer replied. "You wanted to see me though?"

"Right, let's get down to business." Waver replied as he stood up.

"Before all that, please put on some pants first."

From out of nowhere, Gray suddenly appeared and spoke. She then handed the long-haired man his pants. From the way she acted, Kairi guessed that this was something she was already used to doing.

* * *

"So, I take it that the little miss and that Kotomine kid ain't joining us?"

Now wearing more appropriate attire, Waver sat at the desk inside his room with both Kairi and Gray sitting opposite of him. Rider decided to watch some TV for now as the discussion was something that he saw his Master could handle on his own.

"No, waking her up at this hour would only annoy her." Waver replied. "And Kotomine hasn't yet arrived in the city. God knows what he's up to."

"Like I said last night, I don't trust him."

"I know, but that's not what I want to talk about today." Waver began. "Our subject for the day is in regards to events of last night."

"I was wondering when you were gonna share that..."

"While on reconnaissance out in the city, myself and Rider stumbled upon Ruler and her Servant having a battle against two other Servants. One of them is of the Lancer-Class, and the other is of the Archer-Class."

That caught both Kairi and Gray's attention. Two Servants were attacking Ruler last night?

"That's not all. Ruler stated that these two Servants aren't a part of the Yggdmillennia group. I suppose you can take a guess at what that means."

"Seriously? Damn, things just got weird fast." Kairi rubbed his temple. That meant that there were two rogue Servants on the loose. Either they were strays left over from one of the Fake Grail Wars, or perhaps something or someone else was behind them.

"Is there anything else Master?" Gray asked.

"There is something." Waver began. "Ruler declared a three day ceasefire for the time being. She wants to do a little investigating into these strange events."

"So we've got at least three days to relax? Well ain't that something."

"It is, but that doesn't mean we should let our guard down." The other man stated. "Ruler may have declared it, but we never know when the Masters of Black would have second thoughts. There's also the possibility of those two rogue Servants attacking us as well."

"Great, any other news?"

"Well there is one. We now know the identity of Ruler's Servant." Waver replied as he looked in Gray's direction. "This is also one of the reasons why I wanted you to be here Gray. I thought you might want to know."

The grey-haired girl looked somewhat confused at this, as did Kairi. What was he talking about?

"Ruler's Servant is of the Saber-Class, and he's none other than King Arthur Pendragon."

Silenced reigned for a good moment as both Kairi and Gray widened their eyes in shock at the information Waver had just stated to them, the latter most especially due to who she was.

"You're kidding me... You mean to actually tell me that Ruler's Servant is King Arthur himself?" Kairi questioned, with Gray listening in more intently.

Was it really true? She couldn't help but wonder this. If it was the case, then...

"Yes, this isn't something I'm guessing at. He actually declared it when Archer questioned his identity."

"The King of Knights seems like an interesting fellow. I'd like to have a chance to meet with him some more!" Rider commented from his place with a big smile. As a fellow King, he wanted to know more of what Saber was like. For Gray, she had similar thoughts going through her mind.

Kairi on the other hand had other thoughts. If what Waver said was true, that Ruler's Servant was King Arthur, he couldn't let-

***BAM***

**"WHERE IS HE...!?"**

The door of the room slammed open, breaking apart as it did so. At the doorway stood Saber of Red wearing her civilian guise, her leg raised, indicating she kicked the door open. Her current visage at the moment was the epitome of rage about to reach the boiling point.

_'Shit, that's just my luck...'_

"What's the meaning of this...!?" Waver demanded.

"Answer me mage, where is he!?" Saber of Red declared once more as she walked over and materialized her blade, pointing it towards Waver. The latter was not intimidated by the action the slightest. But he would be lying to himself if he said he wasn't taken by surprise by it though.

"That's enough, Saber!" Kairi stood up while looking directly at his Servant. "Don't go pointing your sword at our allies! This isn't a joke!"

"You stay out of this!" Saber roared, causing her Master and the others except Rider to flinch at the volume of her voice. It was tainted with anger, and it wasn't something that would be calmed down as easily like what happened between her and Archer of Red.

"Now then, for the last time mage. Tell me where he is." The blonde once more stated, this time she spoke in a more subdued tone.

"Rider, perhaps you want to join in now?"

Speaking of Rider, the large man was already wearing his full regalia as a Servant, his arms crossed as he stared at Saber with an unreadable expression.

"First of all Saber, perhaps you would care to enlighten us on something." Rider began. "Just why do wish to see the King of Knights?"

"Because he and I have business with each other."

"That's not much of answer." He scratched the back of his head. Women who knew how to fight and had tempers were never an easy to deal with, so Rider had to tread lightly. "Let me rephrase the question then: Who are you to the King of Knights?"

For several moments, nothing came out of Saber as she closed her eyes and lowered her head, clenching her freed tightly.

"He is my father..." Saber replied as she looked at Rider directly in the eye. "I am Mordred, the bastard child of King Arthur. I am the one who ended the so-called glorious legend of the King of Knights!"

Too say that Waver and Gray were taken by surprise by this was an understatement. Even Rider himself was mildly taken aback.

"Ah, I see. Now it all makes sense." Rider began. "However, that doesn't mean that I'll allow you to threaten my Master with your blade."

With that, the larger man stepped in front of his Master, kicking the latter's desk to the side in the process. Rider stared Saber down with crossed arms, unflinching as she continued to point her weapon at both.

"Do you plan on standing against me, King of Conquerors?!"

"What you want do with the King of Knights is up to you. However and like I said," Rider gestured to Waver. "I will not allow you to threaten him because of your desires. He is both my Master and my friend. For you to point a blade at him means to point a blade at me."

An amused smile found its way to Waver's face, though none could see it thanks to Rider standing in front him.

It took a few more moments before Saber decided to dissipate her weapon, the blonde haired warrior clicking her tongue as she turned around and left the room. This action caused the others, mostly Waver and Kairi, to sigh in relief.

"She's not going to be a problem is she?" The former inquired the latter. From what he had just seen, Saber of Red, or rather, Mordred, would perhaps cause problems in the future due her relation to Ruler's Servant.

"I don't think, wait, ah shit...!" Kairi quickly looked out of the window.

There, he saw Saber inside his car and driving away at full throttle, leaving behind a dust trail in the process.

"Why that little... she took my car!" He cried out in frustration. Things were just not going his way that day!

"Hehehe... how interesting." A familiar voice spoke out. "So that little girl is the child of the Holy Blade Wielder."

Leaning on the doorway was Archer of Red with his arms crossed and a smirk on his face. Beside him stood Reines still wearing her sleepwear.

"What happened?" She inquired, her tone indicating that she was in a sour mood that morning.

* * *

Back to Saber of Red...

The blonde-haired girl drove down to the city with an intense look in her eyes.

If the Master of Rider could not give her the information she sought, she supposed that it only other thing left to do was to go find her target herself. It may take a while, but it was better than sitting around doing nothing.

Even if it took her all day, she would find him.

_'Father...'_

Her hands clenched the steering wheel tighter, she didn't exactly know what how to describe the feeling she was having right now.

* * *

_'Why do I have to go through this...?'_

During the middle of that day, Caules walked through the streets of Trifas wearing casual clothes. He had a rather tired expression on his face, and there was a very good reason for that.

"Over here, Berserker~! They're selling crepes here, and they're simply delicious~!" Rider called out, wearing casual clothes befitting that of a teenage girl.

"Hey! That's not fair getting ahead of me!" Berserker cried out, she too was wearing casual clothes. Though her horns still made for a strange sight as well as her tail. When asked, Caules would reply she was a really good cosplayer, and thanks to a little hypnotic suggestion, it worked perfectly.

Ever since last night when Uncle Gordes came back to the castle with a message from Ruler declaring that there would be a ceasefire for the next three days, Berserker immediately hounded him to take her out into town as she couldn't stand being inside the castle all the time.

This continued on until this early morning, and during it Rider overheard their conversation and decided that he wanted to join in as well.

Although both he and Aunt Celenike, Rider's Master, were against it, both Darnic and Lancer were lenient enough to allow them their desires. The only condition was that they would have to be back before sunset. After all, just because there was a ceasefire going on, it didn't mean the war was over nor that anybody from the Red Faction would follow through with it.

And because Aunt Celenike didn't want to waste the day walking about, Caules became the default babysitter for both Rider and Berserker. He would have asked the others to accompany him, but Fiore decided to stay at the Castle since Archer was on lookout duty, and he didn't want to be a bother to her. Gordes and Roche were both out of the question since Caules disliked the former and the latter was still busy with Caster.

"Hey Master, wanna taste?" Berserker asked as she held out her crepe for the young man. The trio were now seated next to one another at a fountain in a nearby park.

"No thanks, I'm not really into tasty treats."

"Heh, your expression says otherwise you know~? Also, that aloof cool guy act doesn't really work that much with the ladies. Most women prefer men who are caring and honest with themselves. Of course, this is all according to my experience that is. I cannot say the same for the women of this era."

"I ain't acting aloof, and how the heck did women get caught up in this conversation!?" Caules replied in an annoyed tone.

"Hahaha! So you're self-conscious? Fear not! For I, Astolfo, shall teach you in the ways of courtship~!" Rider declared as he slung an arm around Caules' shoulder.

"How did you come to that conclusion!? And don't go saying your name out loud like that!"

Seriously, why did he have to be the one to play babysitter for these two?

"In the first place Rider, I-"

"Please be quiet for a moment."

"Huh?"

Caules looked up to see that said pinkette was now on alert. He looked to his other side to see that Berserker was in a similar state. There was only one thing in the world that could make them react like that.

There was a Servant near them, and the thought of that alone caused all three to stand up.

"Can you feel it?" Berserker stated.

"I do. It seems there are two of them." Rider replied. "And it feels like they're heading our way."

"Seriously!? But its the middle of the day!" Caules stated.

Were those two Servants going to attack them? In the middle of a populated area no less? Didn't the Red Faction agree to the ceasefire themselves in the first place!? He then realized that it could have also been the two Servants that Gordes mentioned.

_'Damn it, what should we do? Maybe we should head back now? Rider's mount could allow us to-'_

"I don't want to interrupt your thoughts, but they're here."

"Huh?"

Before Caules knew it, a black motorcycle pulled up on the sidewalk in front of them. In the front was a young man wearing a dark brown longcoat, a red shirt, and black pants and shoes. The other was a young woman, and she wore what looked like a school uniform. Both of them also wore helmets, though the latter's helmet didn't cover her very long blonde hair.

"Ah, I thought I sensed two Servants nearby." The female spoke as she stood up, removing her helmet. She was a rather beautiful person. Long blonde hair, amethyst eyes, a slender yet curvy body, any man could fall for her at first sight.

"You three... you're all part of the Black Faction correct?" She asked as she stood in front of the trio, her companion followed suit and removed his helmet, standing right next to her while looking at them.

"W-What about it? Wanna fight?" Caules questioned, nervous at her. Despite her looks, he knew that both she and her companion were dangerous due to the mere fact that both of them were Servants.

"Not at all. As Ruler, I am sworn to an oath of neutrality." She replied with a smile.

That caught the attention of all three by surprise. They hadn't expected to meet Ruler, otherwise known as Jeanne d'Arc, out in the streets today.

"Heh~" Rider smiled as he got a good look at both. "So you're Ruler~? Nice to meet you, I am Astolfo, otherwise you can call me Rider of Black."

"H-Hey!" Caules began.

"What is it?" The pinkette stated. "She is Ruler after all, so she probably knows our true names already."

"That may be, but still...!" The glasses wearing boy said but was ignored by Rider as he focused his attention towards Ruler's companion.

"If she's Ruler, then that makes you Saber right?" He asked. "Saber of Black's Master told us all about you last night."

"Indeed. It is an honor to meet you, Twelfth Paladin of Charlemagne."

"No, no, it's an honor to meet you King of Knights." Rider replied as he and Saber shook hands. "Compared to you, I am but a mere speck."

"A mere speck?" The blonde knight began with a smile. "Do not belittle yourself. I, myself, am not that great. Right now, we are both Servants. That makes the both of us equals."

"Haha! A humble man you are, a fine trait if I may say." The pinkette nodded at this while Caules couldn't help but stare a little in awe of Saber. It couldn't be helped. After all, King Arthur was one of the most famous heroes to ever exist in the world. Suffice it to say, he was feeling a little bit of a fanboy at the moment.

Berserker on the other hand remained silent as she stared at Ruler with a somewhat intense look in her eyes, something that her Master noticed.

_"Something the matter Berserker?"_

_"Nothing. It just that..."_ Berserker began. _"That Ruler... was she born that beautiful? It makes me irritated..."_

"Hmm... now then." Rider began. "Might I ask what brings the two of you out here? Are you perhaps on a date?"

That got a reaction out of Ruler as her face went slightly red, her mouth somewhat agape at Rider of Black's words.

"It's nothing of the sort." Saber replied as he held up a shopping bag. "We're merely running errands for the people who allowed the two of us to stay with them for the time being. It would be rude of us to just freeload after all."

It was at that point Saber noticed Jeanne staring at him, an annoyed look on her face for some reason. When she saw him turn his head in her direction, she quickly faced the other way as soon as he did much to his own confusion.

_"Didn't you want to ask them something?"_

The Knight asked telepathically, and that caused the young Saint to perk up.

"Ah, that's right." She began, looking directly at Caules. "Excuse me, but I would like to ask you something."

"What is it?"

"Have the Masters of Black decided to agree to the ceasefire I've stated? I haven't actually found out if you all have yet."

"Is that all this is?" The young man sighed somewhat. "Grandfather Darnic agreed to the ceasefire. I think he already sent a message to the Red Faction."

"I see, that is good to hear." Ruler nodded. "Then here is my second question. I request to meet with this man Darnic if possible. He is your leader correct?"

"More or less. Why?"

"It's something that's somewhat confidential." Ruler stated. "In order to aid my investigation in regards to the strange events that have been plaguing the Holy Grail War, I must go to the source of it all in the first place."

Caules immediately knew what she was referring to. For a good few moments, the young man was deep in thought.

"I don't really see why not." The young man replied. "But I'm going to have to take this up with Grandfather first before anything else."

"I suppose it's better than nothing." Ruler sighed to herself. "But I thank you nonetheless for your cooperation. We shall visit your castle tomorrow morning for an answer. Let's go Saber, the Sister is waiting for us." The blonde turned around as and began walking

"Right." Saber nodded, and after one last look at the trio and thanking them for their time, the duo left on the motorcycle.

Soon after they left, Caules sat on the ground as he let out a relieved sigh.

"Man that was intense...!"

"How pathetic you are Master, collapsing from just a meeting like that~" Berserker teased.

"Shut up, I'm not a superhuman like you people. I may be a magus, but that means little compared to you Servants." The young man retorted.

* * *

"Did that go as well as you expected it too?"

"I think so."

Speeding down the streets heading back to the church with their purchases, both Jeanne and Saber decided to converse in order to pass the time.

"Hmm? Is something the matter Saber?" The young Saint asked as she looked closely to see her Servant in thought.

"It's nothing. It's just a small matter that's been bothering me."

"What is it?"

"Rider of Black... " Saber began, his tone full of uncertainty. "He's male correct?"

"Eh?"

Now that she thought about it, she herself didn't know. When she read Rider of Black's stats and information using her abilities as Ruler, the one piece of information regarding his gender was unavailable for some strange reason although everything was clear as day to her.

Technically speaking, Astolfo is regarded as male in most texts and stories that involve him. But the Rider of Black they met looked very much like a teenage girl, especially with the outfit said pinkette wore. His voice was also quite androgynous on its own, and that didn't help matters at all.

"I actually don't know..." She answered honestly.

"Hmm... such are the mysteries of our world."

* * *

Later during the afternoon, near sunset...

_'Damn it all, where could he be...!?'_

Standing on a rooftop surveying the city was Saber of Red, her face being that of annoyance and rage at having yet found her target.

_'In a small city such as this, he can't hide forever!'_

Hours had passed since she arrived at the city, she left behind the her Master's car and decided to search by foot. After all, she would have been limited by such a thing if she were to use it to traverse the streets.

Soon day turned into night, and that allowed her to move more freely.

"Saber!"

She quickly turned around and saw her Master and Gray being carried by none other than Lancer of Red, the green-haired man jumping from rooftop-to-rooftop before landing atop the one she stood on.

"Yo!" Lancer greeted as both people he had been carrying got off and stood on their own two feet. Her Master was looking at her with an unamused expression on his face, his arms crossed and one of his feet tapping the floor beneath him.

"Tch. What do you all want?" Saber of Red clicked her tongue as she looked at the trio.

"What do...? Why you little, you can't just run off on your own dammit!" Kairi began. "I get that you and your old man have your issues, but you can't just-"

"Don't talk like you know anything!" Saber exclaimed, causing her Master to step back somewhat. "Right now, I care no not for the Grail. My only desire is to seek out my father."

"And then what? The two of you fight to the death just like last time?" He asked. "Don't be stupid, Ruler wouldn't allow such a thing!"

"Should she interfere then I shall personally take care of her myself. I will not allow anything to stand in my way, not her, and certainly not you Master." Saber of Red declared as Kairi groaned at his Servant's stubbornness.

Then again, that was to be expected with her personality.

"Come on, why don't you just let her do what she wants to do?" Lancer inquired.

"Do I even need to explain it?"

"I get that Ruler might be a problem, but unless Saber deals with this thing of hers, she won't be able to focus on anything else later." The green-haired man simply stated, and Kairi found logic in his words. "Besides, women get cranky when they don't get what they want."

Hearing this, Saber of Red glared at Lancer rather viciously. When he noticed this, a confused look appeared on his face before realizing what his mistake was.

"Ahahaha, sorry about that. I forgot about what you said. It won't happen again, I swear!" He laughed. Seeing this, the blonde-haired knight merely crossed her arms in response as she directed her attention back towards her Master. She would deal with Lancer some other time.

"Ah geez... damn it all to hell." Kairi cursed as he massaged the back of his neck. "Fine, you get your wish. But, keep away from Ruler. Maybe we can just ask her to let you and your old man duke it out or something. But let's do that tomorrow. I ain't spending the night searching the city."

Saber of Red smiled at this, satisfied and happy that her Master decided to let her be. Even if she would have to continue her search tomorrow, she would still get her desire to confront her father.

"But first of all, before I help you search, where the hell did you park my car?"

"Ah..."

She had completely forgotten about that, being caught up in her search after all.

* * *

The following morning both Jeanne and Saber once more borrowed the Sister's motorcycle for themselves, making their way towards the Yggdmillennia Castle as promised by the former in order to meet with the Black Faction's leader.

"Sister Petresia is such a kind person to lend us her own personal vehicle." Jeanne stated as she sat behind Saber just like earlier that day.

"Indeed. She even stated that she was willing to give it to us since she doesn't actually use it all that much anymore." The male blonde added. "This should make travelling much more convenient wouldn't you say?"

His Master nodded in response, and it wasn't too long before they arrived at their destination.

Much like how it was from a distance, the castle where the Black Faction resided was quite impressive, especially up close.

"Miss Ruler, I take it?" A young woman asked as she came up to them. She had white hair and red eyes, and there was an unnatural beauty surrounding her. That indicated that the person in front of them was most likely a homunculus.

Hearing her title being called, Jeanne nodded in response as she got off the motorcycle. She then materialized her armor over her as she did so.

"On behalf of Lord Darnic, I welcome you to the Castle of Yggdmillennia. Our Lord has been expecting you as per your request to meet with him at this time." She said. "Come, I shall take you to him posthaste."

"Thank you." The young Saint nodded as both she and Saber followed the homunculus into the castle.

* * *

As the outside architecture implied, the insides of the Castle were quite large. Saber was reminded somewhat of the hallways he walked through back in his own Castle at Camelot. Though compared to the one owned by the Black Faction, his castle was more quaint and less decorative.

Climbing up the castle stairway, they eventually entered a throne room where two individuals stood before them. Both were men, one with blue hair and the other with pale blonde hair and a goatee. The latter was clearly a Servant.

The former was also staring at Saber with an unreadable expression, something the Knight caught but did not choose say anything.

Also, in the corner of the room stood two other Servants. One was none other than Saber of Black, who nodded in acknowledgement of their presence. The other was a green haired man with a tail, and Jeanne was able to identify him as Archer of Black, and his true identity was Chiron, the centaur of Greek Mythology who served as a mentor to a number of Greek Heroes.

"Ah, it's an honor to finally meet you Ruler, or should I say Lady Jeanne d'Arc?" The man with pale hair spoke.

Jeanne wasn't really surprised by the mention of her true name. Had she decided to keep it hidden, the Masters of Red and Black might have chosen to not trust her at all.

"And to you as well, Vlad III." She replied, identifying him on the spot.

The man who was nicknamed **Vlad the Impaler** by his enemies. He was particularly ruthless towards his foes, to the point that thanks to his reputation, he became the model for fictional character known as Dracula, a vampire whose own name was rather famous throughout the modern world.

"So are truly able to know my name at a glance, truly you are of the Ruler-Class." Vlad spoke with a regal air. "But please, simply refer to me as Lancer. I am but a Servant now after all. And might I say that it pleases me to know that the mediator of the Holy Grail War is someone who believes in the same God as I."

"Since I believe in God, I pray that I can convey to you that I aim to be fair and impartial." The young Saint said in response.

Lancer of Black responded to this with a smile, and Jeanne felt like she knew his thoughts of her to be that of a somewhat foolish and naive girl. It was also at that point the man beside Lancer step forward.

"It is an honor to meet you as well Lady Jeanne d'Arc, mediator of this Holy Grail War." He began as he took a bow. "I am Darnic Prestone Yggdmillennia, I am the head of my clan and I now serve as the Master of Lord Vlad."

Arthur stared at the man briefly in wonder. So _he_ was the Master of Lancer?

"I see, you must be the one that young man spoke of yesterday." Jeanne replied. "I trust you can guess why I am here?"

"Indeed, you wish to see the Greater Grail correct?" Darnic said in response as he smiled at her. It was a smile that wasn't that of friendliness, but rather that of slight hostility, something both Jeanne and Saber picked up on.

"Yes, that is indeed why I am here." The young Saint replied once more. "I trust it won't be much of a problem? As Ruler, I only intend to use it to answer a few questions that I need answering in order to aid my investigation. I have no intention of using it for my own personal gain."

Hearing that, Lancer of Black frowned somewhat.

"Tell me something Ruler," He began. "Is it true that you have no wish you want granted? You were summoned by the Grail were you not? Surely you must have something you want granted."

At this, Saber became somewhat curious. During his time with his Master, he had yet to actually ask the same thing to her.

"No, I have none." She simply stated much to the surprise of most in the room. "After all, a requirement to be summoned as Ruler-Class Servant is to have no wishes one wants granted in the present age. Had your Master not told you this yet?"

At that, an angry expression appeared on Lancer's face as he looked at Ruler directly in the eye.

"Do not play games with me Jeanne d'Arc!" He exclaimed. "I know of your final moments in life. You, who was abandoned and betrayed by your country, and was burned at the stake cannot possibly have no wishes you want granted! Answer me honestly, less I have you-"

"Should you lay a finger on her Lancer, you shall answer to me." Saber declared while brandishing his armor on the spot while pointing Excalibur wrapped by Invisible Air directly at the pale haired man.

At this, both Saber of Black and Archer of Black responded by drawing their own weapons just in case. Darnic took a step back, worried at the possibility of a fight breaking out within the room. Lancer himself looked between both amused and somewhat taken aback by the action.

"Saber, please lower your sword." Jeanne commanded softly.

It took a few good moments, but Saber did as ordered as he stepped back away from Lancer, the pale haired man began laughing slightly to himself as he did.

"Hehehe... my apologies Ruler. I did not intend to react the way I did." He spoke while eyeing Saber. "It seems my killing intent caused your Servant to react badly as well."

"Your apology is unnecessary Lancer, it was only natural for you to react like that." She stated in response. "And to answer your earlier question, I truly have no wish. People say that I should regret my last moments, that it would be natural for me to want to take revenge for what had happened or wished to be saved."

She paused for a moment before continuing.

"However, it is enough for me to know that the life I lived was my own, and that I have no regrets about it. If I were to have a wish as a Servant, then it would be only for the Holy Grail War to be conducted properly."

"And you would say this despite being someone who was abandoned by God? Whose prayers were never answered?"

"Who is to say he did abandon me? Or anyone else for that matter?" Jeanne countered. "To say such a thing is foolishness to begin with. The Lord has never forsaken anyone, not once. There was simply nothing he could do."

Saber noted with surprise on how strong his Master's belief in her God was, but perhaps that was to be expected of someone who was called a Saint.

"And I also believe you are mistaken somewhat Lancer. Praying, giving offerings, everything is an act not for oneself, but for the Lord. We pray in order to heal the Lord's laments and sorrow."

Even before she took up arms, this was something she believed in.

The Lord lamented in sorrow. His children kept on creating wars and conflicts, causing pointless bloodshed throughout the land. Causing it to become something akin to, no, perhaps the better description was that it was already hell itself.

She had heard his laments back then, something that everyone else around her failed to hear.

She presented herself with a choice. She knew that responding to the Lord's cries would mean throwing away her old life to the wind. She would no longer be the simple village girl she had lived as for most of her young life, and she would no longer be able to experience the joy of loving someone and being loved back, having a family of her own and whatnot. And she knew that in the end, there would be no compensation for her deeds if she followed that path. Both enemies and allies alike would scorn her in the end. It was a terrifying thing for someone like her to consider at the time.

However, she just couldn't turn away from the Lord's cries.

She would fight back against the hell that presented itself before her in order to soothe the Lord's tears. Everything in her being told her that despite it's end not being great, this path was surely the correct one to follow. Thus, the she clad herself in armor and hanged a sword on her waist, carrying her flag in his name.

"Hmm, I see." Lancer of Black responded with his arms crossed. "I thank you for answering my question. I could feel the sincerity in your words."

Despite saying that, a displeased look appeared on Lancer's face. He noted that despite believing in the same God, Jeanne d'Arc was someone he would not be able to get along with in the long run.

"Darnic," He spoke towards the blue-haired man. "Allow Ruler to access to the Grail, she is someone we can trust for now."

"My thanks for your cooperation." Jeanne bowed her head slightly. Darnic then motioned for her to follow him, and she did so with Saber right behind her.

"I do have one condition though." Lance spoke up as he turned away, walked, and then sat on the throne at the back of the room. "Saber of Black and Archer of Black, they are to accompany you while you do so. While I trust you, the King of Knights is someone I'm not entirely sure of yet. After all, just because you don't have any wishes doesn't mean the same will apply to him."

"You insult me Lancer." Saber replied as he turned around to face the pale-haired man. "I have already sworn fealty to her, as both her Servant and as a Knight. Any personal desire I have is of little value in comparison to that oath."

"Hmph, as expected of a Knight." Lancer commented with a smirk. "You have chosen well Ruler. To have summoned the King of Knights as your Servant, truly there could be no other choice for a loyal subordinate."

"No, I do not view him as my subordinate. Rather, he is my partner." Jeanne replied, directing a small smile towards Saber in the process, one which the White Knight returned once he noticed it.

With that, the trio left the room together with Saber of Black and Archer of Black right behind them.

* * *

"May I ask you something Ruler?" Darnic began as he lead the group throughout the Castle.

"Depending on your question, you may." Jeanne simply replied.

"Have you found anything in regards to those two stray Servants that you and your Servant, fought against?" He asked. "I have to admit, while fourteen Servants being summoned is something unexpected, I partially foresaw it as possibility due to the leylines in Trifas being powerful enough to allow for such an event. However, the same cannot be said for those two Servants you encountered."

"I'm afraid I still know very little in regards to both of them. I actually spent yesterday as a period of rest." The blonde stated. "What I do know is that those Servants aren't the only ones I've encountered. Two others attacked me back in England, just before I summoned Saber in order to help me deal with them."

"Yes, Gordes did mention them last night." The blue-haired man crossed his arms. "Do you perhaps know of their identities? As Ruler, you should be able to identify any Servant you lay your eyes upon."

For a few moments, Jeanne remained quiet as she began thinking. Should she perhaps inform the Master's of Black their identities? After all, she wouldn't really be breaking any rules in regards to her neutrality since she could sense that the four Servants lacked a connection to the Grail and to herself by extension. Her oath only really applied to the conflict that would occur between the Red and Black factions.

"I suppose I can tell you their names." She began. "First, is Lancer. His true identity is Karna. He happens to be quite powerful, so I urge you and your allies to keep your guard up."

The name alone piqued Darnic's interest as his eyes widened slightly. It seemed like he knew of Karna's legend.

"The second one is Archer. Her true name is Atalanta."

"Truly? The Chaste Huntress has been summoned?" Archer spoke up for the first time since the arrival of Ruler and Saber. "It would be an honor to do battle against her."

"I suppose that's natural of you to think so. The two of you do come from the same lands after all." Darnic commented. He also wondered if Caster knew about her old comrade as well. Given her observational abilities, it was very likely she knew.

"The third one is also an Archer-Class Servant. His name is Robin Hood, he is one of the two Servants who attacked me in England."

"Robin Hood?" Saber inquired.

If there was a Hero in England that was perhaps as well known as King Arthur, it was none other than Robin Hood. A dashing rogue who stole from the rich and gave to the poor. He was something more akin to a folk hero compared to someone like Saber.

"Yes, however, apparently there are several people in history and legend who have taken the name of Robin Hood for themselves. Archer is just one of those many people." The young Saint added.

 _'Hmm... so he's a case similar to Hassan-I-Sabbah then? Interesting.'_ The blue-haired man thought.

"And finally, there's Berserker. He is..." She spoke but paused, glancing at Saber as she did so without the young man's notice.

"My apologies. Due to Berserker's abilities, I was unable to identify him properly." Jeanne stated instead. She was still unsure if she should reveal the identity of Berserker to Saber already or if she should do so later.

"I see. I suppose that can't be helped." Darnic said as he and the group came to a stop at a door. "We are here."

* * *

"So... this is the Greater Grail?"

Saber spoke as he laid his eyes upon the circular object that floated in the middle of the room the group stood in. It looked like nothing he had imagined it to be.

"Yes, as I was a Master from the Grail War sixty years ago, I was able to catch a glimpse of the original before it was destroyed. Though merely an imitation of the one from sixty years ago, I made some improvements of my own. I take it you are impressed, Saber?"

Once more, the blue-haired man stared at Saber with a smile on his face, though perhaps the proper description was that he was smirking. Jeanne noticed this, and noted there was something strange regarding Darnic's behavior when he spoke to Saber. She was also surprised by the revelation that he had participated in a previous Holy Grail War before, but said fact didn't actually bother her all that much.

Choosing to ignore Darnic, Saber turned to face his Master, the young Saint somewhat in trance at seeing the Grail herself.

"Master?" He asked.

"Eh?" She cried out in surprise. "Ah, I'm sorry. I was distracted for a moment."

"That's alright. Now then, what shall you be doing here?"

"If all goes well, I'll lay my hand on it and see if it gives me the information I seek."

"That's not exactly something that's assuring to me as your Servant." Saber countered.

There were too many unknowns with this imitation Grail. What if it was a trap, that the Black Masters were allied with the Rogue Servants? He had stated such an idea towards Jeanne yesterday after getting back to the church, but the young woman was insistent on going to them for answers since they had the Grail in their possession.

"I'll be alright Saber, have a little faith in me alright?"

Seeing her smiling at him while asking that, Saber sighed to himself as he relented to her request.

Stepping forward, Jeanne made her way towards the Greater Grail. Soon, she came to a stop as she stood right in front of it. A few moments later, the young Saint extended her hand and placed it upon the Grail.

"...!"

A bright light enveloped her vision in its entirety, and she could faintly hear Saber calling out to her for some reason.

* * *

_"Eh...?"_

_Jeanne stood in the middle of a white void. She looked around herself and saw nothing. Everything was an empty space..._

_"Ah, it looks like you've arrived."_

_She quickly turned around as she heard a voice call out to her._

_There, she saw a person with long white hair standing before her wearing similarly colored robes._

_If there was one word to describe the person before her, it was that they were beautiful. There was an otherworldly feel to their appearance, one that basically confirmed for Jeanne that the person before her was of magical origin. The young saint also couldn't tell if the person before her was either a man or a woman._

_And for some reason, she felt as though she had already seen him somewhere before... but she couldn't tell when or where._

_"You are... the Grail?"_

_"Hahaha...! Me, the Grail? Not at all. But I am connected to you in a way."_

_The person before her laughed, speaking with such a tone that Jeanne still couldn't tell what the gender of the person before her was._

_Then again, perhaps it didn't really matter._

_"Then, if you're not the grail then who are you...?"_

_"Ah, that is the question now isn't it?" They spoke as a smile grew on their face. "However, to ask such things is not your purpose for today. So how about we get down to business already shall we? You can't keep Arthur waiting after all~"_

_"H-Huh?"_

_With that, the avatar suddenly appeared right in front of the young saint and then placed a finger over her forehead._

_"For now, just call me an Avatar of sorts." The person spoke. "And my apologies, but this may cause some discomfort thanks to your human body."_

_...!_

_"A-Argh...!"_

_A stinging sensation surged from Jeanne's head as the avatar touched her._

_"As much as I would like to help you, the aid I can give is limited due to circumstances. However, I can at least point you in the right direction..."_

_Something was flowing directly into her mind. It was information, about the history of Grail itself, about the current Servants taking part in the Great Holy Grail War, and about the Masters involved as well. So many images filled her mind..._

_...And one person among the fourteen stood out as unique to her._

_"Also, here's a little present from you to me." The Avatar said, placing a hand over her shoulder. "Due to a mishap, you lost this privilege of yours did you not? I believe it's time to restore that less something unfortunate happen wouldn't you agree?"_

_A pulsing sensation came from each of her Command Seals, and Jeanne quickly realized what that meant._

_"Ah, before you go. Please tell Arthur I said hello."_

_"W-Wait...!"_

_Jeanne tried reaching out to the Avatar, only for it to end in vain as the young saint's vision was swept up in darkness._

* * *

"Ugh..."

Slowly opening her eyes, Jeanne saw an unfamiliar ceiling above her and when she turned her head, she saw Saber looking at her quite relieved.

"Thank goodness, you've finally woke up." He said.

"Saber...?" Jeanne began slowly. "What happened...?"

"You suddenly collapsed the moment you laid your hand on the Grail. The Masters of Black were kind enough to offer us the use of this room while you slept." Saber replied with a concerned look on his face. "What happened exactly? Do you have any idea?"

"Ugh... please give me a moment. My head is spinning." She groaned as she placed both of her hands on her head. Whatever happened gave her a bad headache!

"Let's see, after I collapsed... I think I was able to do what we came here to do."

"Really?" Saber inquired.

"Yes. I came into contact with what I think was the grail itself or an avatar of it." She replied. "It placed a hand on my head, and information began flowing through it. With that, I was able to get a clue in regards to the strange events that have been occurring. There's someone responsible for it, but thanks to the information being not all that clear, I can only assume it at the moment."

"Really? Does this person have a name?"

"Yes. His name is-"

"Ruler~!" The door suddenly opened and their stood a familiar pinkette. "I heard you were recovering here, so I decided to visit~!"

Both looked at him with equally surprised faces, but smiled as they felt the sincerity behind Rider of Black's words. They also noticed a homunculus standing behind him, a female one at that. Her was styled in a unique twin-tailed fashion.

"Ah, let me introduce you! This is my friend Alzir. She didn't have a name before, so I decided to give her one she liked!"

"Greetings." The homunculus girl said as she bowed.

"I was going to bring along someone else too, but that person is busy with Caster unfortunately." He muttered in disappointment before a wide grin appeared. "At any rate, let's chat for a while shall we? I've been meaning to ask you and Saber a few things now and I can't help myself anymore~!"

With that, Astolfo began to chat casually with the duo. Their topic from earlier being temporarily forgotten as the young paladin began bombard them to questions that range from the trivial to the rather personal.

* * *

Later after exchanging a few words with Darnic and Lancer, both Jeanne and Saber left the Yggdmillennia Castle and rode back towards the Church they were currently lodging at. Rider waved them goodbye as they did so, and both noted Astolfo truly did live up to his name as someone who was eternally optimistic from the way he spoke to each of them earlier.

It was by that time Jeanne realized how much time had passed since she collapsed and fainted. They arrived at the Castle sometime in the morning, and now it was already sunset.

"Are you sure you're quite alright?" Saber asked once more.

"I am. thank you for asking."

"What did you see during your vision? Is there anything in particular worth mentioning?"

"Hmm... now that I think about it, there was someone in it." She began as memories that event came back to her. "This is the same person I told you about earlier about, the one who I thought was an avatar of the Grail."

"Did this avatar say something of note other than the information it gave you?"

"My privilege as Ruler was restored, so that's something." The young saint replied, causing her companion to look surprised.

If that was the case, then the two of them no longer had to worry too much about the Servants of Red and Black now that his Master's Command Seals were connected to each one of them once more. With it restored, they had a proper equalizer.

Still, Arthur wondered to himself as to why she lost the privilege in the first place. Was it due to the fact that she was possessing a human body or perhaps something else entirely? Such questions were driven away from his mind when his Master spoke out something that caught him off guard.

"Ah! Now I remember, you were also mentioned by name!"

"Me?" Saber asked.

"Yes. If I remember correctly, I was asked to greet you in their place." She added as he laid a hand on her head to try and remember. "Saber, do you think you know this person?"

"I'm not exactly a mind reader." The young man joked. "In the first place, what did this person look like?"

"My apologies, but I couldn't tell clearly if it was a man or woman." She stated. "The only thing I could remember clearly was that the person in my vision had long white hair and wore white robes... to be precise, I believe them to be a magus."

At this, Saber widened his eyes slightly as someone came to mind thanks to his Master's words.

_'Could it be? No...'_

The last time he had heard from that person they had been trapped within a certain place and unable to escape. Did the magus managed to do so then? If so, what were they doing now? It was a question that might have seemed strange to others given how much time had passed since then. But to Arthur, he wouldn't have really been surprised if his old friend managed to find a way to live to this day.

The question presented now was... just what was his old friend doing?

"Saber?" Jeanne asked, noticing the sudden silence her Servant had taken on.

"It's nothing." He replied without missing a beat. "I just believe I have an idea of who that person you were talking about is."

"Really? Who is it?"

"I'm not too sure at the moment. There are some things that I'm trying to figure out first." He replied. "Once I do however, I promise I will tell you of it."

"Alright then, I know you will."

With that, both remained silent as they continued their ride towards the Church.

* * *

Jeanne and Saber soon arrived at the old building. Both soon put up their guards as they sensed something amiss. Everything around them was silent, to the point that both could only hear the footsteps and breaths they took.

"Do you feel that?" The latter asked.

"I do. There's a Servant inside." Jeanne replied as someone came out of the entrance.

Said someone was a man of moderate height. He had wild brown hair, wore sunglasses, and a leather jacket. Overall, he looked like a criminal, but both Master and Servant could not feel any sense of hostility coming from him.

"Hmm... it's about time you arrived Ruler." He spoke out. "We've been waiting for hours now. My name is Kairi Shishigou."

"You're a Master of the Red Faction, aren't you?" She inquired. "Might I ask why did you come here? And where are the people of this Church?"

"Don't worry about them, I just put a sleeping spell on them. And as to why I'm here, well it's nothing really personal. My Servant just has some business she wants settling with your Servant." He replied as both looked at him in surprise.

"Are you asking to fight against us?" She asked.

"No, just your Servant." He stated. "If my guess is right, a fight to the death so to speak."

"What? What makes you think that I would allow such a thing?" Jeanne said with an incredulous look on her face. "To attack my Servant is to attack me as well. I will not allow any threats made to him to go unchallenged by myself."

"I know, I know, but she's been really itching to fight your Saber lately ever since she found out about his identity." He replied once more, glancing at Saber as he continued to speak. "She won't obey my orders until she gets to settle the score with you I think."

"Settle the score with me?" Saber questioned.

It was at that moment that someone came out from behind Shishigou. Said person was none other than the Servant they had sensed.

Said Servant was a young woman, looking to be around Jeanne's physical age but younger. She had blonde hair tied into a messy ponytail and emerald green eyes. She wore a red jacket over a rather revealing ensemble. A smirk was on her face as she stared directly at Saber.

"It's been a while, hasn't it Father?" She spoke, saying the last word in a tone akin to a snarl.

_'F-Father!?'_

Jeanne visibly recoiled at those words, looking back and forth between Saber and the girl. She realized that there was actually a passing resemblance between the two since both their hair and eye color were of the same shade.

The Knight himself was clearly taken aback by the girl's presence, it was like he had seen a ghost the moment he laid eyes on her. There was only one person in the world who could cause such a reaction in him and call him "Father" at the same time. And that person's name was spoken aloud by Saber.

"Mordred..."

It was a reunion between parent and child... the two whose lives were ended by one another.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And that wraps up Chapter 4, hope you guys all enjoyed it.
> 
> In case you guys are wondering, Alzir is a character in Fate/Apocrypha. She was featured in one of the illustrations for Volume 3, I think, where she, Jeanne, Astolfo are seen walking about in Trifas wearing casual clothes. And I never really planned on having Ruler's Command Seals being inert all the time. I just made it that way as part of the excuse to get her to the Trifas Grail early on as well as introducing the guy who appeared in the grail vision, which I think some of you will be able to guess who it was.
> 
> The meeting with Vlad and the text about Jeanne in that part was more or less taken/inspired from the same events that happened in F/A Volume 2. The main difference is that my version happened earlier than the novel version and under different circumstances. I felt the need to include it since it somewhat sums up Jeanne as a person in my eyes. Next time the reunion between father and daughter continues! Look forward to it!


	5. Act I-5: Battle Frenzy

_The King of Knights..._

_Ever since she was little, she heard tales of the legendary King who ruled Britain from his palace in Camelot. People around her, both old and young, and even ally and enemy alike, revered and thought of him as the greatest King there could and ever will be._

_So too did she. She also believed that King Arthur was the greatest there was, that no one could ever hope to match him. And because of that belief, she came to wish that she could become just like him._

_After all, was it not natural for children to believe that their parents were the greatest people in the world? And to desire to become just like them once they were of age?_

_Her father was none other the legendary Knight King himself, something she took great pride in once she found out. Although despite this fact, he did not know of her existence, nor did her mother ever decide to reveal her to him in the first place._

_"Hide your true self, never reveal it to anyone... not until the time is right."_

_Her mother told her those words for as long as she could remember. She thought to herself, why? Why would she bother hiding her true lineage?_

_For a time she thought about this herself, and came to the conclusion that it was because she was different compared to normal people._

_Why was she different? Because unlike normal people who take at least twenty years to become full adults, she became one in less of a decade. Such abnormality could only be attributed to magic, and as such, she people would try to deny her existence because of it. While magic at the time was not uncommon, it was still something that caused people to be wary, which was especially the case for the lesser folk._

_Because of this, she also felt ashamed of herself due to the circumstances of her birth and growth, and was envious of normal people as a result. She became an adult in a short time, never having a proper childhood like most children would._

_And so she obeyed her mother, hiding her face behind a helmet, all the while training to become an ideal knight just like her father. Her mother told her that as the King's eldest child, she was destined to succeed him. With such knowledge given to her, she worked and trained even harder._

_If she managed to prove herself and become one who would be able to stand among the Knights of the Round Table, then perhaps her father would acknowledge her despite her abnormal origins and upbringing. This was something she sincerely believed in..._

_This was her beginning..._

* * *

***CLANG***

The sounds of metal clashing against one another echoed throughout the moonlit night as two Servants battled against one another throughout the streets of Trifas. And said two Servants were none other than Saber and Saber of Red.

***CLANG* *CLANG***

Sparks flew as sword met sword. Excalibur, in all of its glory, clashed against Clarent, the ceremonial blade Saber had used before but was stolen by Mordred for her own use. Despite the latter being a blade of lesser quality, it was able to stand its ground against the Sword of Promised Victory.

Seeing a chance, Saber then swung his sword in a downward diagonal strike.

***SLASH***

His opponent countered with an upward strike of her own, causing both blades too bounce off one another. This caused the male to flinch at the force of the blow and for the female warrior to smirk at she saw this.

"Hah...!"

She swung her sword horizontally, aiming to bisect her foe.

"Tch...!"

***THWACK***

Timing it just right, the young man crouched down to the ground before kicking the flat side of the blade upwards. Saber of Red widened her eyes at this in surprise, but quickly regained her focus as her father got up and swung his sword at her once more.

***SLASH***

Avoiding his strike, the blow was strong enough to leave a short mark on the ground with pure force. Seeing this, she couldn't help but smirk.

"Hah!"

Mordred stepped forward with an audible burst, quickly coming up in front of her father as she swung her sword down on him, the latter of which after seeing this countered with his own burst and locked blades with her.

"Excellent! Most excellent father!" She cried out with a smile on her face. "I see that siding with that woman hasn't dulled your skills at all!"

"Stop calling me father," Saber coolly replied. "Never have I been one to you..."

At those words, the female blonde's eyes narrowed rather dangerously as she glared at her father, the smirk on her face disappearing as it turned into a frown and she began gritting her teeth.

"Indeed... indeed you have not!" She roared.

Saber suddenly found himself being pushed back as Mordred forced her blade against him. This caused the Knight to release himself from their lock, sidestepping out her way, before taking action once more.

***CLANG* *CLANG* *CLANG***

Sparks flew once more as they exchanged blows with one another. Though it was obvious that the former was a far more skilled swordsman than his opponent, Mordred was able to keep up with him through the use of sheer strength and determination.

"Hah!"

***CLANG***

Swinging his blade hard, Excalibur bounced off Clarent with an audible echo and caused Mordred to flinch. Saber followed up with a second swing aimed directly for her sword arm. Anticipating this, Mordred dodged slightly to the left as the blade grazed her gauntlet.

"Tch...!" She stepped back.

"Not yet!"

"...!?"

Just when she thought she had time to gather her wits, Saber came charging forth with a burst and Excalibur raised above his head.

***SLASH***

He swung down, causing Mordred to once more dodge to the side. The White Knight followed up with a secondary swing which the Knight in Red countered. A third follow-up occurred as both locked blades once more.

* * *

_'Saber...'_

Overseeing both not too far away, Jeanne watched the duo as they fought with a sad look in her eyes. Even now, she couldn't believe the situation escalated as fast as it did.

Just after having confirmed her identity, Mordred quickly materialized her armor and sword before attacking. Saber himself did the same as her, summoning his own arsenal and quickly countering the former blonde's assault.

Seeing this, she tried to get both to stop what they were doing only to be silenced when Mordred demanded that she stay out of it. It also didn't help that Saber politely asked her to stay out of it, as it was something he had to deal with as himself rather as the Servant of Ruler.

From then on, both quickly moved about the city, and the rest is history as they say.

"Geez, talk about your messy family reunions..." The Master of Mordred muttered stood alongside her as they watched the two Saber-Class Servants duke it out. "I've never seen Saber like that even when Archer called her a little girl."

The young saint turned to look at him with a frown on her face.

"You do realize that everything that happens here is your responsibility correct?" She began. "As Saber of Red's Master, it's your responsibility to watch over and control your Servant."

"I know, I know," Kairi replied while sighing to himself. "But the problem is she wouldn't have listened to me until I agreed to let her fight her old man. I have to say though... I expected someone a little older looking. King Arthur looks more like her older brother than her father."

At this, Jeanne merely turned her attention back towards the two other blondes in response. Though she too agreed with Saber of Red, or rather, Mordred's Master in regards to the White Knight's rather youthful look. Because of said appearance, it was somewhat strange to refer to him and her as parent and child.

Perhaps it was due to the Grail summoning Saber in the form where he was in his prime? That was the most logical conclusion she could come to. Either way, it didn't really matter in the end thanks to the current situation.

She only prayed that the fight would end soon, otherwise she would have to force her hand to end things before they escalated even further.

_'Still, for two people who are parent and child to be fighting like this... it just doesn't feel right.'_

As someone who grew up under the care of a loving family, Jeanne was one who believed that family should always get along. Indeed, fights between family members would happen. That was something to be expected. But she got along quite well with her father and mother, and both were supportive of her when she chose to take up arms despite it being something that was out of the question for a farm girl like her.

Seeing the situation of both Saber, no, Arthur and Mordred she could not help but feel sorry for the two of them. Perhaps they could make up at one point? Such an idea felt distant though, especially with how strong the latter's rage was towards the former. She could feel it just from watching them fight each other.

"...!"

Jeanne quickly looked around her surroundings as she felt a familiar sensation come over her.

_'Another one? Just where...?'_

* * *

"Hmm... so Saber of Red is attacking Ruler's Servant is she?"

Inside a room and seated upon a chair drinking Japanese tea was Shirou Kotomine. Behind him was Assassin of Red, the latter's hands both laid upon the shoulders of her Master as she replied to his statement.

"Indeed, and according to what our observer have gathered thus far, she refers to him as her father of all things. And there also seems to be bad blood between the two of them as Saber of Red attacked him right after revealing herself."

"That does not come off as a surprise considering who both of them are after all." He replied as a smile came on to his face as he set the tea cup in his hands down on the table in front of him.

"The Knight of Treachery, Mordred. And the King of Knights, Arthur Pendragon." Shirou began, speaking aloud the identities of both Servants. "Such a twist of fate the Holy Grail has brought about. Perhaps King Arthur would be someone who is willing to hear us out on our little endeavor..."

"Oh? You plan on bringing him into the fold then?" Assassin asked with an amused smile. "You do realize that as a Knight, he wouldn't think about betraying the one he has sworn to protect. Especially for the Knight who was known as the King of Knights after all."

"True, but although he may be a Knight, he was also a King. A King whose kingdom fell to ruin at the end of his reign where many of his knights and subjects perished during the final battle." He replied. "If we can persuade him, perhaps he would care to join us. If my guess as to what his wish for the Grail would be is correct, then it would be to his benefit to do so."

"Perhaps you are correct." Assassin mused. "Though whether or not you are remains to be seen. It will be somewhat amusing to see how things unfold on the other hand. For now though, what shall we do next? Perhaps we can-"

"Ah, here you are Master!"

A British-accented voice spoke out as the door to the room opened. There stood a man wearing green 15th century clothing akin to what a nobleman would wear. He had short brown hair and eyes, a full beard on his face.

"Caster, is there something you need?" Shirou asked. The man in front of him was none other than Caster of Red.

Assassin's eyes narrowed in annoyance as he entered the room and Shirou had an amused smile on his face as he saw this. From the moment they met, Assassin had something of a dislike for Caster. His talks about how he and the others were nothing more than characters living out a story got on her nerves. Shirou himself didn't know if Caster was like this by nature or if he was intentionally just trying to mess with his colleagues through his words.

Because of that, he actually had to ask Caster to behave before Assassin, or anyone of their allies, decided to attack him. The man complied with this order, but still maintained himself as he always did, only now he was more subdued.

Answering Shirou's earlier question, Caster walked up and placed a thick book onto the table where he sat at.

"Is this..."

The title printed upon the book cover was "The Works of William Shakespeare".

"A collection of my works!" Caster declared with a smile. "You have told me before that you have yet to actually read any of my works no? Now you have the perfect opportunity to catch up on what you missed good sir."

The words he had spoken alone, and perhaps along with the fact that he had a book with him that his own name printed as part of its title, would tell any person as to who the Caster-Class Servant really was.

William Shakespeare, one of the most famous playwrights in history. He was particularly famous for the play known as Hamlet, which he wrote the script for.

However, there was one thing that was bothering Shirou at the moment. He knew for a fact that he didn't own the book Caster had placed in front of him. That could only mean one thing, and Assassin beat him to the punch as she spoke.

"You buffoon... Did you actually go into the city and buy a collection of your own works?"

"But of course! O Queen of Assyria, our Master lives in the modern world. Yet he revealed to me that he has yet to read any one of my works! I find that to be quite sad no?"

"No." Assassin replied, and Shirou firmly agreed. While he didn't actually mind Caster's eccentricities unlike Assassin did, he did admit it was tiring to bear witness to. There was only so much a person could take after all.

"Anyway Caster, did you need something?" The white-haired young man asked. "I take it you didn't just come here to have me read that book?"

"Ah yes, about that." Caster began, his tone becoming somewhat more formal. "I am afraid that there has been a slight problem that recently just occurred regarding our dear friend Berserker."

"A problem?" Shirou asked before he realized something. "Wait, which Berserker are you referring to?"

"Why none other than the Black Knight of course! It seems he had sensed what was happening between the King of Knights and his child. I believe he's already on his way towards the sight of the battle."

"What!?" Shirou stood up from his place.

"You fool..." Assassin began as she narrowed her eyes at the English Writer. "It's not that Berserker sensed the conflict between them, you leaked the information to him didn't you?"

"Ah, I made no such attempts." Caster declared. "I merely overheard you speaking about Saber of Red going into the city to find her father. Such a thought entertained me, so I began musing a ways on how to write such an event down on paper and into a story. Perhaps Berserker caught me in the act? Who could say~?"

"In other words, you did leak it." The young priest face-palmed, for there was no other way to emote the feeling he was having right now.

"Worry not Master, for I have asked Rider to keep an eye on our madman."

"Rider? Damn it all you mad writer, your actions may cost us both of them if Ruler and the Red Faction don't decide to put them down for good." Assassin reprimanded.

"No, the situation is still salvageable." Shirou suddenly spoke up. "Inform Rider to only interfere should it be necessary. Afterwards, he is to retreat alongside Berserker if the stakes become to high for either of them to handle."

"As you wish."

* * *

The battlefield for the two knights quickly shifted from the streets to an industrial section of the city. No civilians could be sensed by either, making both decide that where they were now was a perfect place to fight.

***SLASH***

"Guh...!"

Saber gritted his teeth as his opponent managed to slice his left arm, causing her to also smile in delight.

"What's the matter King Arthur? Am I proving to be too much of a challenge for you to handle?"

"Tch...! Don't be foolish!"

***SLASH***

Using quick footwork, Saber dodged another incoming swing while countering with his own strike, sparks flying as blade met blade. Anyone watching from a distance could easily mistake their blade work for small fireworks going off in the night.

"Hah!"

***CLANG***

Saber countered another strike from his foe, the latter kept attacking him to no end. Such ferocity, he wouldn't have been surprised if she had been summoned under the Berserker-Class. It fitted her battle style quite easily.

Mordred came up once more and tried stabbing him with a single thrust. Twisting his body, the blade merely grazed and bounced off his armor.

***SLASH***

"Gah!"

The female blonde jumped back as she received a cut on her right sleeve. Looking up, she saw her father with a calm expression on his face while at the same time directing Excalibur towards her. Her blood was dripping down slightly from its blade.

"Is this not enough for you, Mordred?" He asked, causing her to blink before a scowl appeared on her face.

"Not yet! I will not admit defeat due to a mere flesh wound!" She retorted as she glared at the King of Knights.

"Do you still wish to continue? Your enemies from the Black Faction are surely watching this fight themselves." Saber added. "You're giving them insight to your own abilities the more we continue this bout."

"Hmph! As if any of them could stand against me. I'll easily crush anyone who comes my way!" Saber merely shook his head at this, and it was at this point that she realized something.

She had just noticed it. Even now, he still had that same damned look in his eyes. The very same look that he had when she announced to him her true lineage... And it was the same damned look that he directed towards her when they fought during the Battle of Camlann.

Cold and distant... it was akin to a dismissive look. This is what she felt whenever he looked at her back then and even now. It angered her to no end, as it was a reminder of why she hated her father as much as she did.

She also realized something else because of that look... why didn't she notice it earlier!?

"Just why is it..."

Saber raised a brow as she spoke quietly with her eyes downcast, which returned to stern look as Mordred glared right back at him full force.

"Why is it that you continue to hold back on me!?" She demanded, her honest outrage could be heard from her voice. "That day, on that hill where you and I fought to the death... I could tell, you never really took me seriously!"

At that, Saber visibly widened his eyes somewhat before turning his head away from her. It was an act that only served to rile Mordred up even more.

"And even now you continue to hold back on me... Do you truly believe me to be nothing but a mistake not even worth your time!?"

When her father did not immediately reply to her, continuing to face the other way, she took that as a cue to what his answer was. Gritting her teeth and tightly gripping her sword, she charged forward.

***CLANG***

She brought down Clarent upon her father, the White Knight parrying the blow with Excalibur. Red sparks beginning to emanate from the former's blade as she glared directly at him while continuing to speak.

"Answer me, King Arthur!"

* * *

"Hmm... this is proving to be quite an amusing sight to behold."

Standing atop a building observing the battle was Archer of Red and the other members of the Red Faction. Beside him, stood his young Master Reines, the girl was currently preoccupied watching the battle closely, as it was the first fight she had come to witness as a participant of the Holy Grail War.

Waver and Rider were intently watching it, taking note of the abilities and skills of both Saber-Class Servants. Lancer was watching the battle with an amused smile similar to Archer's, while his Master observed the battle quietly as well. It can be noted that she was particularly focused upon the White Knight.

"Tell me Reines, who do you believe has a chance of winning this bout?" Archer asked.

"Call me Master." She began with a disapproving look towards him. "If I had to take a guess though, I would say that Ruler's Servant has a better chance of winning. I may not be an expert in swordsmanship, but I can at least tell who has better skills between him and Saber."

"Indeed, however, the other little girl is quite aggressive. She could perhaps turn the tide of this battle if she kept pressing on."

"Hmm? That's strange Archer, I thought you and Saber didn't get along?" Reines inquired. "Have you come to respect her all of a sudden?"

"Of course not. That little girl is still at a level far beneath my own." Archer replied. "However, I will admit that such ferociousness has its benefits, and she's making use of her own quite nicely against the King of Knights. She actually resembles a beast I had to slay once. That was something of a troublesome fight."

"That said Archer, have you noticed it?"

Hearing the King of Conquerors speak, the Golden Archer turned to face him.

"That depends on what you are referring to Rider. Perhaps you are speaking of the rat that has also been watching the battle?"

He looked to the distance, directly at one specific building that was not too far from where the battle between both Sabers were taking place. There, he saw a figure cloaked in black keeping to himself while observing the fight. Thanks to said cloak, Archer could not make out if the observer was a man or a woman, especially thanks to the mask that the figure also wore.

However, from one glance alone, it was obvious that the person in the distance was another Servant.

"That guy is getting a front row seat of seeing Saber's abilities. Perhaps we should do something about it don't you think?"

"Hmph. Do as you please. I have no intention of wasting my time on rats cowardly enough to hide in the shadows."

"But isn't that what we're doing too?" Lancer added.

"Fool, there's a difference." Archer replied in annoyance. "Unlike the rat, we're not actually trying to conceal our presence."

"Hahaha! I suppose you have a point there." The larger man laughed slightly in reply before noticing something. "Oh? What's this?"

It was also at that same moment that both Rider of Red and the Golden Archer saw a familiar figure approaching said cloaked rat, something was also later seen by the rest of the members of the Red Faction.

"Is that Ruler...? What's she doing there?" Waver thought aloud. However, he already had an idea of what it was.

And with that, there was only one thing to do.

"Rider."

* * *

"Hmm... so you came Ruler? Perhaps I should have decided to observe from a farther location from here."

Having left Saber of Red's Master behind in order to pursue the strange sensation she felt earlier, Jeanne came across a man wearing a black cloak and a strange mask on his face. He also spoke with the voice of someone that was a young adult.

"You are... of the Rider-Class aren't you?" She asked as she put up her guard. In spite of her abilities, she could not get a read of the identity of the Servant in front of her just like what happened with Sir Lancelot. There was something interfering with it, and most likely it was due to the mask. The main difference was that the interference was far stronger compared to the Black Knight's.

"Correct." The masked man replied.

"And considering the feeling I get from you, you are not a participant of this Holy Grail War either?"

"Once again, you are correct." Rider replied as he stood up and faced the young woman. Seeing this, Jeanne noted that Servant in front of her was quite tall, about around Saber's height to be precise or more.

Seeing her tense up somewhat, the cloaked man spoke once more.

"Relax yourself Ruler, I am but an observer tonight. Nothing more, nothing less. Pointless bloodshed isn't on my agenda."

"You'll have to forgive me if when I say that I somehow doubt your words. The last four Servants that were not of this Holy Grail War that I met attacked me you see." Jeanne replied, still not letting down her guard in spite of Rider's words.

"I have heard of it, but I am not them." The cloaked man responded to her words. "Whether or not you choose to believe is entirely up to you. Just know that if you should attack me, I will be returning the favor then."

Hearing him speak once more, Jeanne decided that perhaps there was some truth in Rider's words, that he did not wish for any sort of conflict at the moment. With that, she allowed herself to relax if only a little.

"Tell me then, just who are you?" She asked. "Or rather, are affiliated with the others from before?"

"Who is to say?" Dodging the question, he turned his attention back towards the bout. "Perhaps I am, perhaps I am not. I'm not obligated to answer any of your questions after all. The earlier ones from before was just my way of introducing myself."

The young saint frowned at his words while glaring at him slightly. If Rider continued to evade her questions just like how he did now, then it would eventually lead to nowhere. She needed more answers from him, but how?

"Then how about you answer to me then?"

With a loud cackling of lightning, a chariot pulled on the same roof as them carrying none other than Rider of Red and his Master. The Masked Rider turned his attention fully towards both of them.

"King of Conquerors..." He spoke.

"Hoh? So you already know who I am?" Rider of Red smiled. "If that's the case, perhaps you're willing to negotiate with me instead of Ruler?"

"My apologies, but my answer will not change even for a Heroic Spirit such as yourself." The larger man sighed at this as his Master spoke up himself.

"Then try answering this." Waver began as all looked at him. "Will you be hostile towards us in the near future? To the participants of this Holy Grail War and its mediators?"

"Yes." The Masked Rider replied once more after a moment of silence, causing Jeanne to raise her guard and Rider of Red to smirk in response.

"If that's the case, then I suppose we have to eliminate you here." The King of Conquerors said. "Since you're not willing to negotiate, and I doubt you'd want to join my army, I suppose we have no choice then."

Rider of Red then turned to face Ruler.

"Hey Ruler! Mind if I take this guy myself, or should you and I team up? Either way, both works for me."

Contemplating his words, Jeanne began to think. The Masked Rider was too much of a mystery right now. Given that he had said that he would be hostile towards them in then near future, it would make sense to deal with him tonight. Had her Command Seals held a connection towards him, she would have forced him to answer.

Before she could even speak her mind, the Masked Rider spoke up once more.

"If you want to make a choice Ruler, I suggest you take into consideration everything that's happening around you at the moment before you do. Otherwise, you may end up regretting it in the end." He advised.

Blinking at his words, Jeanne was quickly reminded of the other ongoing situation in the streets below. She turned her attention towards the fight, and she widened her eyes as she saw another person standing where both Saber and Mordred were having their duel.

Quickly, the young saint made her move as she headed for the sight of the battle.

"Now then, I suppose that just leaves both you and me, King of Conquerors."

Seeing as they wouldn't allow him to leave without a few answers, the Masked Servant decided that it perhaps it was time for a showdown.

The echo of lightning roared throughout the night sky.

* * *

"...!?"

Before both father and daughter even knew it, something appeared overhead as they locked blades with one another.

"RAGH!"

***SMASH***

Concrete was smashed as both quickly leaped back from their respective positions. Both stood to see a tall figure wrapped in a black aura that covered his entire being. Despite this, both could barely see the silhouette of the person before them and could guess he was wearing Knight Armor. In his hands was a metal pole that looked very much like a street lamp.

"Berserker...!?" Saber cried out in surprise at seeing his opponent from England. What was he doing here, and now of all times!?

"You bastard...! How dare you interfere in this duel of ours!" Mordred angrily declared as she pointed Clarent towards the Black Knight. What right did he have to intervene during her bout with father? Even if he was a madman, that was no excuse!

At her words, Berserker turned his attention away from Saber and focused it upon Mordred the moment he saw her face. Despite her usual bravado, even she had to admit there was something eerie with the way he was staring at her.

The Black Knight then began to shake rather violently... like seeing Mordred set something off in him, something that Saber took note off just like what happened he had met him back in that rundown church.

"RAAAAAAAAAAGH!"

Letting out a roar, Berserker suddenly charged at the Knight of Treachery.

Coming to a stop right in front of her, the Black Knight swung down the metal pole in his arms aimed directly at the blonde's head.

 ***SLASH*** ***SLASH*** ***CLANG***

Several blows were exchanged between the two of them, the former's attacks having enough weight behind them to actually stagger Mordred much to her own surprise. Quickly picking herself up, she stepped back to keep some distance between her and Berserker.

***CLANG* *CLANG***

It was a futile attempt. The Black Knight quickly caught up with her and raised his weapon once more.

"Tch, I will not be trifled with!"

Pouring energy into her limbs, Mordred stepped forward with an audible burst.

Not letting up, she began countering each of Berserker's attacks.

***SLASH***

Sidestepping, she saw an opening. Clarent grazed her opponent's armor, but the attack itself did little to actually damage it. Gritting her teeth in anger, she laid out another assault, her sword directed at the Black Knight's neck.

It was of limited success however as every time she made a move, the Black Knight would easily find a way to outmaneuver her. Just what in the world was he!?

"RAAAAGH!"

"Huh...!?"

Before she knew it, one of her attacks missed as Berserker sidestepped with his weapon raised.

***CLANG***

"...!?"

She widened her eyes in shock when she saw her father suddenly coming in to block the strike and push Berserker back with a powerful swing from Excalibur.

"You..."

Turning back, Saber looked at Mordred with an unreadable expression on his face. After this, he returned his gaze back towards Berserker who was silently returning the favor with his own.

"Berserker... just what are you planning?" He asked. "Are you aiding me or are you just trying to eliminate her? Either way, as a Knight who accepted a one-on-one duel against her, I will not allow you to interfere anymore than what you have already done."

There was also something about the Black Knight that seemed quite odd to Saber. There was the way he reacted to both him and Mordred, not too mention that despite having only fought him once, seeing him fight against Mordred caused something to stir within the back of his mind.

There was something familiar about Berserker, but he could not pinpoint why.

"RAAAGH!" Berserker suddenly charged at Saber as the Knight readied himself. Seeing a chance, the other Knight made her move.

_'Now...!'_

***CLANG***

Timing it right, Mordred appeared from behind the Black Knight and swung her sword, sending him flying into a wall with an audible crash. Seeing as they had a short moment, she couldn't help but speak her mind.

"Are you an idiot? Trying to talk to a madman like that..."

"Indeed, but it's not like you did any different when you called him out now is it?" Saber pointed out, causing Mordred to fault slightly in annoyance. It was then she was reminded of what she actually wanted to ask.

"Why did-" She began but was cutoff as both quickly raised their guards once more as Berserker came out from the hole in the wall looking no worse for wear. The Black Knight stood in place for a moment as he began stretching his upper body and neck somewhat.

"Saber!"

Jeanne appeared and landed right beside the duo, calling out in concern towards the White Knight. Seeing her, he gave her a silent nod signalling that he was alright much to her relief. He then refocused his attention towards Berserker.

"We'll continue this later. For now, we deal with him." Her father suddenly began, and causing Mordred to frown slightly as she noticed that he wasn't even looking at her as he spoke. "After all, I'm afraid we'll never be able to get anywhere if a madman such as him around."

"Hmph, it's not like I need your aid to deal with him." She stated as she stepped forward in front of her father.

"Wait, would it not be better for the three of us to work together!?" Jeanne spoke out.

"Quiet! I don't need anyone's aid!" Mordred exclaimed in response as she looked at the blonde-haired saint before turning her attention back towards Berserker with a visible smirk on her face. "Now come Berserker! Show me your skills!"

Taking a step forward of his own, the Black Knight was about to resume his attack once more...

***CLANG***

Suddenly, the weapon in Berserker's hands was quickly sent flying as something collided with it. When all looked to see where that something landed, they saw that it was none other than a sword that caused the Black Knight to release his grasp on his weapon.

"Hmph. A rabid dog trying to spoil a duel between two knights? Such insolence needs to be punished."

Out of nowhere, Archer of Red appeared in front of all three Knights, standing between them and the Servant of Madness.

"Archer!? Who asked for your aid you little-!" Mordred began, quite annoyed at having another person interrupt her for the second time that night.

"Fool, I am not doing this for your own sake." The Golden Archer replied without facing her. "It just so happens that I found your duel to be quite the entertaining spectacle. But this rabid dog had intervened and thus ruining it, and that is something I, as the King, will not tolerate."

He glanced at the rooftop where his Master was safely guarded by the Lancer and his Master.

"Also, the little girl had asked to see my abilities for some time now." He said as he drew both blades on his back. "And seeing as how my entertainment for the night has been ruined as I stated earlier, I suppose being rid of the fool who ruined it in the first place would make for an adequate substitute and allow for me to reveal my grandeur at the same time."

Ten portals of light appeared behind him in a circular pattern. Slowly, ten weapons appeared from them much to Saber and Mordred's surprise. They quickly recognized that each of those weapons weren't ordinary weapons at all.

Each of them were Noble Phantasms. They could easily tell, for there would be no other way to describe the weapons of such high quality and craftsmanship that came out of the portals of light. Given who he was, Jeanne couldn't help but note that such a thing was expected.

Facing Berserker, Archer spoke once more.

"Now then, here I come Berserker. I hope you'll at least provide me with an entertaining show, for now it's time for the King to make his debut!" The Golden King declared as he charged with a wicked smile on his face.

***BOOM***

Several explosions rang out as the ten weapons that floated around Archer darted out of the portals of light like lightning. A cloud of smoke formed from said explosions, causing visibility of the center to lower itself.

* * *

"Hahaha! This is one heck of a show we've got for the night ain't it Master?" Lancer commented as he watched the fight together with his Master and the girl known as Reines. The blonde girl being quite interested in seeing her Servant fight paid no attention to her companions as they spoke to one another.

"Indeed." Gray replied. She had only expected to see a fight between Mordred and King Arthur, so didn't think that a third party would drop in so suddenly in the middle of it.

The green-haired spearsman nodded at this. He himself was quite amused by these turn of events. And even though he too wanted to partake in the action, Archer had beaten him in a fair game of rock-paper-scissors, as his Master called it, said game being the one they used to decide who would aid Saber of Red in facing the newest introduction for the night.

Thus, by his honor as a Heroic Spirit, he would let the Golden King have his fun, and he was interested in seeing if his abilities could actually back up his boasts up until now. And judging from he had seen so far, Archer was living up to it.

He began wondering to himself if Archer could entertain him as well... if one of his so called treasures would be able to reach him.

* * *

***CLANG* *CLANG* *CLANG***

The sounds of metal clashing against metal echoed loudly around them, and quickly the spectators looked to see Archer skidding across the ground as though he was pushed back suddenly.

"Hmm... I see." He spoke.

The smoke cloud began to disperse, and there stood Berserker looking unharmed from the Golden King's assault. What was most interesting to note at the moment was that the metal pole he had been using was now gone. In its place, a sword and polearm were now in his hands.

Said sword and polearm were also two of the Noble Phantasms they saw coming out of the portals of light that Archer produced.

"It seems you have the ability to make use of anything you deem fit to be a weapon... an impressive ability to have Black Knight." He added, but the tone of his voice suddenly becoming colder as he continued speaking.

Ten new weapons appeared once more around Archer, the golden-clad man raising his head as he did so. He was smirking at Berserker while at the same time directing a very angry glare towards him, his tone of voice dropping somewhat as he spoke.

"But do remember this you mongrel. Those treasures that you wield are mine alone. A mad dog such as yourself has no right to wield, or even touch nor lay eyes upon it." He said as he took a stance, readying himself. "And as such, I SHALL BE TAKING THEM BACK!"

***CLANG* *CLANG* *SLASH***

Darting forward, Archer appeared right in front of Berserker and began exchanging blows with him. Everyone who was witnessing this event had one thing in mind.

Whoever the golden-clad Servant was, he was good. For someone of the Archer-Class to be able to keep up with a class well known for being complete powerhouses in close combat, it only meant that the Hero who was summoned was someone of great skill.

Berserker himself was no slouch. As Archer traded blows with him, he also fired off numerous weaponry directed at the Servant of Madness.

The Black Knight was able to evade most with precise movements, adjusted his body position so that the barrage would only graze him, or at any point, he even began striking down said weapons with the ones in his hands.

***BOOM***

Doing such actions caused another slew of explosions as the Noble Phantasms collided with one another. The corruption caused by the Black Knight created a strange reaction within the weapons he wielded much like the makeshift weapons he had been using up until this point.

***CLANG* *SLASH* *CLANG***

Parrying both of Berserker's strikes with his own, the two were now caught in a deadlock with neither budging.

That, of course, only lasted for a short moment as a wild grin appeared on Archer's face.

***BAM***

Throwing his head back, he jumped slightly to reach the Black Knight's height and slammed his forehead into his opponent's helmeted self. Apparently the blow itself was so strong that it actually caused the Black Knight to stagger somewhat. Archer on the other hand merely cricked his head after performing the deed, not at all bothered at having hit steel head on.

***CLANG* *CLANG***

With that, he struck both weapons out of Berserker's hands, sheathing his own as he grabbed both and jumped back. In doing so, the smirk on his face soured.

"You mongrel...! Look at what you've done to my treasures!" He spoke as glared at the Black Knight. "It will take some time to remove the stain you have imprinted upon them with your hands!"

The two weapons he wielded disappeared into golden mist as he once more grabbed the two swords on his back, a look of indignation on Archer's face.

"I shall take your head as compensation for this insult Black Knight. Be ready for it."

"RAAAAGH!"

Berserker quickly grabbed another pair of Archer's weapons which were embedded and scattered around their battlefield thanks to their fighting, the Black Knight not caring to listen to anymore drivel coming from the Golden King.

***SLASH* *SLASH* *CLANG***

"Bastard! Continue to use my own treasures against me will you...!?"

Just as he was about to unleash more of his wrath upon the Black Knight, the Golden King's senses quickly went on alert as he felt a strong concentration of mana being gathered.

"Get out of the way unless you wish to die Archer!"

"...!?"

Turning his head, the red-eyed blonde saw Mordred now standing a good distance from the two with her sword at the ready and glowing brightly. A wild smirk was on her face as she yelled out.

_**"CLARENT BLOOD ARTHUR!"** _

A burst of red lightning unleashed itself from the blade and blasted a path directly towards the duo. Seeing this, both dodged the incoming attack as it destroyed everything in it's path for a good distance before dissipating.

However, Berserker wasn't as lucky as he was partially engulfed by the blast for a short moment before he got out of its path. Though not completely visible thanks to the black mist that surrounded him, the attack left numerous scratches and dents on his armor, with Berserker visibly struggling to get up. Being blasted at such a close range, even he wouldn't be able to come out completely unscathed.

"You bitch...!"

Turning his attention towards the blonde-haired knight in red, Archer called out to her in pure outrage.

"Well what do you know, you're still alive." She halfheartedly replied, and in a tone of mockery as well. "Perhaps I shouldn't warned you after all."

"What's the meaning of this!? Interfering with me is tantamount to-"

"Shut up! I was fighting him first, you're the one who's interfering you fool!" Mordred retorted angrily. "In any event, I was given permission by my Master to use my sword as I see fit, and I have chosen to use that privilege just now. Whether or not you get caught up in it is none of my concern."

Saying the last bit with a smirk on her face, the Golden King could only scowl as he replied.

"Hoh? Perhaps the little girl needs to be taught a lesson then...!"

"Who are you calling a little girl!?"

Both got in each other's face as they began glaring with one another.

"Please just stop it! You're both allies are you not!?" Jeanne suddenly stepped into the fray much to Saber's amazement.

"You stay out of this!" Both declared as the young saint shrunk back somewhat at the sound of their voices. Two power houses such as themselves, it would take another such person to break them up.

And said person was already about to do so...

***SLASH***

The sensation of pure force cutting a path between Archer and Mordred caused both to gaze at the source. Said source being none other the White Knight, Excalibur in hand as he looked at both with a calm expression his face.

"Enough with your bickering." He casually stated, as if he was a parent dealing with a pair children. He then gestured to the third party. "Our guest is still here."

Saber also noted that despite his weakened state, Berserker still seemed like he was willing to fight the moment he laid his eyes upon him.

"Fine then, I'll finish him off first then I'll deal with the both of you." Mordred declared as she raised her sword, red lightning beginning to crackle once more.

Suddenly, the group felt the presence of another Servant headed towards them, the cry of a horse echoing throughout their surroundings.

"...!?"

All looked to see a large ball of light charging right at them, causing the group sans Berserker, who was still reeling from the effect of Mordred's attack, to scatter.

The Black Knight was engulfed by the light, disappearing as it zoomed past their location. However, they knew he was not being attacked, rather, he was being aided by the light. And Jeanne knew who it was that had just saved him.

Though not completely visible thanks to the amount of light being emitted, the Masked Servant could be seen atop the light riding it as if it was some sort of steed. Behind him laid the Black Knight who, after looking at his rescuer briefly, dissipated into his spirit form. Soon enough, Rider quickly made his own exit as he flew off into the night sky at a faster pace.

"Cowards, fleeing when they were the ones who started the fight!" Mordred declared in an angered tone. She didn't know who the other one was, but it was obvious that he was on Berserker's side given his aid to the Black Knight.

"Heh, them folks sure like to run away a lot!"

Hearing a familiar voice which also accompanied by the sound of lightning crackling, they all looked to see Rider of Red and his Master arriving via his chariot. With them was also Saber of Red's Master, Kairi Shishigou. Jeanne quickly deduced that they decided to pick him up sometime after she had left him and when Rider was battling against the Masked Servant.

Speaking of which, Rider's chariot was also somewhat scratched up. But not enough that it looked like Rider had been caught in a battle that was heavily against his favor.

"You're not going to after them?" The young saint asked. From what she had seen of him, she didn't think that he would be the type to give up so easily.

"What would be the point of that? At this rate, I won't be able to catch up." The man replied. "Besides, guys like him tend to come back for more. We'll probably settle this in the future."

"Hmm? What's the matter Rider?" Archer suddenly began smirking. "Found yourself an opponent that you cannot defeat in battle?"

"Well we more or less played cat and mouse, so I really wouldn't call it a battle." The larger man declared, rubbing the back of his head. "Whoever he is, that steed of his is something to behold. It's something that can actually outpace my own chariot."

"Yet in spite of that he did not choose to. He was playing around with us." Waver added. "Whatever it was, as a member of the Rider-Class it's probably his main Noble Phantasm. But it may be too early to make assumptions."

Rider nodded at his Master's words, he too came to the same conclusion. He then turned his attention back towards Archer.

"What about you Golden King?" He began. "Will you not give chase?"

"Hmph. As you said, what would be the point?" The blond replied as he crossed his arms. "And as much as Berserker has insulted me greatly tonight, I am not so pathetic that I would go after him in his weakened state, even if he is a mongrel."

He gazed slightly at the Knight of Treachery who was responsible for what had happened with Berserker, glaring at her slightly. The other blonde saw this and returned his look full force as well.

"Heed me well little girl, I shall not tolerate anymore grievances towards myself."

"Hah! As if I would listen to the words of a fool!"

"What was that...!?"

"Alright that's enough." Kairi stepped between the two as they looked like they were about to get into another argument. "Hey kid! Mind asking the big guy over here to just cool it? It's been a long night!"

"I suppose you do have a point Mr. Shishigou."

Reines appeared from the corner of the street accompanied by none other than Gray. And upon seeing the grey-haired girl, Saber was momentarily taken aback as he noticed that she possessed an uncanny resemblance to Mordred. Not only that...

 _'That girl... there's something about her.'_ Just seeing her, Saber felt strange sensation come over him, but he didn't know what it was that he felt.

"Archer, please remain calm." Reines asked as she walked up to Archer of Red.

"And what will you compensate me with for my obedience little girl?" He began as he looked at his Master.

"I'll get you that thing you asked of me the other day." The blonde replied, a sly smile on her face. "You know the one."

For a few moments, Archer remained silent. A contemplative look on his face, before it suddenly broke into a smirk.

"Haha! Fine then, I'll do as you say for now. Be sure to live up to your word less I punish you Reines."

With that, Archer dissipated into golden mist as he entered spirit form.

"What was that about?" Kairi asked, honestly curious as were the others.

"Oh nothing. Archer is just someone who is rather easy to please at times." The young girl replied with a smile. She was honestly surprised by it. Though Archer held a dislike for the modern world, there were things that he actually approved of, one of which being "the thing" she had mentioned just now.

In the distance, a figure watching the battle disappeared into mist as they jumped into the night sky.

* * *

Sighing to herself, Jeanne was relieved that it was all over. Though both Rider and Berserker had gotten away, everything had ended well enough.

"Now then..."

It was then that she was reminded of the one person who more or less started everything that night. _Her_ business had yet to have been resolved due to the interference of the Black Knight.

Drawing her sword against her father, Mordred stood ready for combat.

"Oi, don't you think it's been a long enough night?" Kairi questioned. Even despite her desires, after everything that had happened he was somewhat convinced that she would at least call it a night and perhaps have a rematch with her old man sometime later instead.

She didn't say anything in response to her Master's words, continuing to point her blade against her current target. Her eyes once more filled with animosity, something that Saber noticed as he looked into them.

Seeing her like this, he broke into a smile...

"I see, so you truly hate me that much. I suppose I shouldn't be surprised." He chuckled briefly to himself much to the confusion of those present. What was he laughing about? Did he honestly find the current situation to be funny?

It was at this that Jeanne decided that enough was enough, she won't allow anymore nonsense tonight!

Wordlessly, she stepped in between the two much to the surprise and anger of Mordred.

"What do you think you're doing Ruler? Do you want to die by my hand!?"

"I could ask you the same, Mordred." She replied, unfazed by the other blonde's threat and calling out her true name. "As Ruler, I will no longer allow any more conflicts between you and Saber-No, Arthur."

Referring to her Servant by his first name and glancing at him for a moment, she continued speaking.

"Should you continue your assault, I'm afraid I shall be using a Command Seal on you in order to get you to behave." The young saint declared. "At worst, I shall disqualify both you and your Master from the Grail War."

At that, Kairi visibly looked troubled. He had expected such a thing from the moment he had agreed to allow Saber to fight with her father, but now it was being brought up right in front of him and could actually happen depending on Saber's actions.

"Looks like you guys are in trouble." Lancer quipped, materializing for a brief second with a smirk on his face.

"Shut it!" Kairi retorted as the green-haired spearsman faded back into spirit form with a brief laugh.

"You bitch...!" Mordred growled. "What right do you have to interfere with us!?"

"I am Ruler. I serve as the Mediator for the Holy Grail War. Whatever conflict happens between your group and the Black Faction is something I will not interfere in. My role is to ensure that your conflict doesn't escalate too much that it will involve innocents and the world itself."

She paused for a moment, looking at the White Knight.

"Arthur is my partner in this endeavor. As such, any attack on him is an attack on me." She added. "I allowed you the two of you to fight each other earlier because of his request, but now I will no longer tolerate any of it. Should you continue your assault, there will be consequences."

With that, she finished her declaration. Mordred gave Jeanne a rather vicious glare as a result, gritting her teeth as she did so. From the looks of things, she would most likely attack her instead with the way she was looking at the young saint.

Said theory was proven true the moment the Knight of Treachery made a quick dash towards her.

"Hah!"

***CLANG***

"...!?"

She widened her eyes when she saw Clarent flying from her grasp as her father swung his sword and deflected her blow. Glaring at him, she clenched her fists and decided to go into hand-to-hand combat.

***BAM* *BAM***

"Gah!"

It was pointless. Although she had strength, she didn't have the skill necessary to actually make good use of it. Her father grabbed her arm as it missed him, elbowing her in the gut with a rather powerful blow that it bypassed her armor's defenses and caused her to flinch, and following up with a backhand to her face. He then quickly threw her down to the ground and placing her in a hold with her arm stretched out and her neck being dangerously close to Excalibur's blade.

"Damn you...!"

"Attacking a person while blinded by rage..." Arthur sighed to himself. "I told you before that such a tactic often leads one's own fall, didn't I? It's the same reason you lost to Gawain that one-"

"Shut up! As if your words mean anything to me!" She retorted, her voice filled with anger and hate. "You had rejected my existence... Why the hell should I even listen to anything you have to say to me anymore!?"

Such a statement only caused Arthur to pause briefly, a bitter smile on his face as he looked down on his own flesh and blood.

"Indeed, I have no say on how you choose to live your life and fight through your battles." The white knight began. "However, I am not giving you advice as your father. I was giving you advice as fellow warrior, as I have always respected you as such."

Hearing him speak, Mordred widened her eyes in surprise as she was taken aback by his words. Seeing as how she had calmed down somewhat, Arthur decided to release her from his hold. Going over to Clarent, he picked it up as she stood and continued speaking.

"If you wish to continue our duel, then I'll be more than happy to oblige so long as my Master allows it herself." He began as he held out Clarent towards her. "For now, take a moment for yourself to relax. Hone your skills through your battles with the other Servants. Otherwise, you will never beat me if you continue to act as you are."

Dropping the blade in her hands, Mordred gazed at him with an uncertain look in her eyes. All her anger had suddenly disappeared, now it was mostly filled with confusion once more, the same confusion that she had when her father had defended her earlier against Berserker.

Even now, she couldn't comprehend that. Even if he was a Knight, he had still defended the one who ended his rule, her rebellion leaving the country in chaos, and mortally wounded him in single combat during the Battle of Camlann.

And now her father was giving her advice in spite of everything that happened in their past? She couldn't properly explain it, but the situation proved to be quite strange for to even understand anything.

Walking past her, Arthur briefly laid a hand on Mordred's shoulder as he walked over towards his Master. The action proved yet another surprise for the Knight of Treachery as she didn't expect it.

The young man also directed a look towards Rider, something the larger man noticed and grinned at. It was a look of acknowledgement. Afterwards, Arthur came to a stop in front of his Master.

"Shall we get going?"

Nodding at his words, both left the area. Leaving only the Masters of Red and their Servants with them.

"Well then, that went well I suppose." Rider of Red commented. "Perhaps we should get going ourselves."

"Agreed." Reines nodded at the large man's words. "It's getting late, and I have yet to have taken a bath."

Walking over towards Rider's chariot, she quickly got on as suddenly Lancer of Red appeared in Servant form.

"Hey Rider! Wanna have a little race to see who can reach the villa first?" He smirked.

"Hahaha! Your challenge is accepted Lancer!" Rider laughed, excited at the idea of racing against the green-haired hero. "Be warned that I won't be going easy on you just because you lack a steed of your own!"

"Hah! I can easily make do even without one!"

"Hey! Don't forget we're on this thing too-!?"

Picking up his Master in his arms, Lancer quickly began sprinting as Rider's chariot took to the skies much Waver's chagrin. Reines on the other hand looked somewhat entertained by what was happening. This left only Kairi and Mordred by themselves.

"Come on Saber, let's hit the sack."

"Right, as you wish Master." She said in response, her voice was unnaturally reserved for some reason.

With that, she began following him out of the industrial complex. She noted that it had been a long night...

* * *

"Hmm... such an interesting night this has proven to be."

Sitting inside an office, Darnic and Lancer of Black were having a discussion with one another while drinking tea.

"The Saber-Class Servant of the Red Faction is the Knight of Treachery? Fate must have a twisted sense of humor to allow that person and the King of Knights to reunite once more." The latter laughed slightly.

"Yes, Julian confirmed it for us after having one his Assassin's observe the battle from a safe distance." Darnic replied. "Though I was honestly more surprised by the appearance of yet two more stray Servants along with Archer of Red's abilities. He will prove a most troublesome foe."

"He does indeed pose a threat, best to keep an eye on him and gather more information for the time being if possible." Lancer said as he took a sip before continuing. "The Berserker that appeared... it's the same one that attacked Ruler from before didn't it? The one she mentioned that appeared in England?"

"Yes, that does appear to be the case. Ruler's Servant called out to him, like he knew Berserker from before." The blue-haired man said.

"I see. Then the other one?"

"He's the fifth one to appear. Whoever he is, he is of the Rider-Class and is quite powerful. He is not to be underestimated."

Lancer nodded at this, satisfied with the information that had been gathered for the night. He looked outside the window, gazing at the moonlit sky.

In accordance to Ruler's decree, the Holy Grail War would resume once more the day after tomorrow. He smirked to himself as he thought about it.

A lot of things were going to happen soon... and he will make sure that the Black Faction would come out on top!

* * *

"Is something the matter?"

After arriving at the church, Arthur turned to face Jeanne as he had noticed that she had been staring at him for quite some time since they left the Masters of Red.

"It's nothing, it's just that... are you alright?" She asked.

What had happened earlier... she could tell that he was affected by what had occurred. Arthur's eyes which held a certain warmth in them now looked distant and troubled.

"If this is about what happened with Mordred, then I would be lying if I said I was." He smiled somewhat bitterly. "That child... is just one of the many people I've failed during my life. I understand why she acts as she does towards me, and I do not blame her for it."

Hearing him speak in a dejected tone, Jeanne couldn't help but feel saddened by it. This was the first time she had seen Arthur like this since his summoning, but she couldn't blame him for it either, not with what had happened.

"Do you think it's possible... for the two of you to ever reconcile?"

She asked, and at those words Arthur looked at her in surprise before another bitter smile appeared on his face.

"I am not that optimistic. With everything that has occurred between us, I doubt it would ever happen." He replied before suddenly looking directly at Jeanne. "You said before that you don't regret anything from your life?"

She nodded at his question, causing the young man to sigh to himself as smiled briefly at her.

"I admire you for that, Master. Perhaps you are more mature than I."

With that, the White Knight walked into the church, leaving the young saint by herself. She contemplated his words and found herself shaking her head in response as she soon followed him into the old building.

Soon inside her own room, she laid herself down on her bed. Her mind was still clouded with thoughts thanks to Arthur's words.

_'Is that really the case though...?'_

She shook her head once more before quickly falling asleep. It really had been a long night indeed...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And so ends chapter 5 of the story. If you guys like it, please review. If there's any mistakes in this chapter, I'll be finding and correcting them myself, but feel free to point out such things yourselves.
> 
> Basically took the Proto-Gilgamesh vs Berserker fight from Fate/Zero, the main difference being that Proto-Gilgamesh got in close and personal. I stated before that I'm not good with long fights, so yeah XP. Don't expect much from me in that aspect. I like to write things short and straight to the point in cases like that, and I also leave the fights to your imaginations as well.
> 
> Generally speaking, I feel like this chapter is somewhat lacking. But that feeling is probably because I finished this chapter while half-asleep. And does it seem like I've been focusing too much on the Red Faction? I feel like I have. If that's really the case (Too lazy to look back at the moment) I'll be fixing that in the future once things in the Holy Grail War start to really get going.


	6. Act I-6: Day of Repose I

"Hmm..."

Jeanne sat by herself inside the room of church where masses and the like were held. Currently, the young saint had her head down as she was in deep thought that morning. The events of the other night still fresh in her mind.

Two days had passed since then, with the third day beginning now. After the first day, her ceasefire ended and now the Holy Grail War was allowed to resume once more in accordance to her decree.

So far however, no activity was happening between either the Red Faction and Black Faction as far as she knew. Given that both have at least seven servants on each of their side, any serious battle between them would likely result in a heavy amount of destruction. As such preparations had to be made.

And currently, the rogue servants have yet to make another move against either faction or herself. Considering what happened to Berserker the other night, most likely his group decided to play it safe for now. She couldn't help but feel uneasy at the thought of their group still roaming around somewhere. She would need to find a way to deal with them later.

Speaking of which, she had yet to follow up on the lead the Grail had given her the other day.

There was a Master from the Red Faction who was possibly linked to the rogue Servants that kept popping up all over. As much as she wanted to go straight towards the Red Faction's base of operations, she wasn't sure if they would be as welcoming towards her as the Masters of Black.

True, the Servants of Red, specifically Archer and Rider, had fought against two of the Rogue Servants themselves, but that didn't mean she could trust their Masters. What happened with the Black Faction was a special case as it decided to take a leap of faith on that one. She wasn't sure if she should do it again in regards to the Red Faction.

Though there was the man known as Waver Velvet, Rider of Red's Master, who appeared to be the head of the Red Faction. Jeanne felt that he seemed like a trustworthy individual, but she still don't know enough to be sure of it. In a conflict such as the Holy Grail War, she would need to take some precaution. Even though her privilege was restored to her, it didn't mean she could act carelessly just because she had it.

"Hah..." Jeanne sighed to herself.

Really now, what she was doing?

Everything her mind had been thinking about just now was just her way of distracting herself from the real thoughts she was having at the moment. Said thoughts causing a frown to appear on her face.

The events of that night... she couldn't help but think it over again and again. The duel that occurred between father and daughter, the words exchanged between the two of them, and Arthur's words to her when the night ended.

Considering the events that happened by the end of his reign, it wouldn't be surprising to her if he bore some regrets of his own. It was said that many of his comrades had died during the Battle of Camlann with only a few surviving.

However, it was the way he had acted that just troubled her to no end at all. She didn't like seeing the other blonde being depressed. Even now, he was still somewhat melancholic, though he began acting like normal starting with yesterday. But she could tell that it was an act. She wanted to help him, but...

"Is something the matter?" A voice called out.

"Sister Petresia." Jeanne greeted as she saw the old nun approaching her, deciding to take a seat beside on the bench she was sitting at.

"I see you have something troubling you dear child." She stated. "Pray tell, what is it? Perhaps I may be able to help you with it."

"No, it's not something I should be bothering you with. But I appreciate your concern." Jeanne smiled at her, thankful for the gesture.

"Now, now, I am here to help you child." The Sister replied. "Does it have something to do with Arthur?"

Speaking of which, the young man was currently out doing errands for the church folk as usual. At the same time, he decided to go out on patrol in order to see if he could find any unusual activity within the city. Though the young saint wanted to follow, she had other errands to do for the church that morning. That said, she knew that he could take care of himself better than she could with her own.

Honestly surprised by how accurate Sister Petresia's guess was, Jeanne replied.

"Yes. Was it really that obvious?"

"My dear, you've been staring at him with a worried look in your eyes quite a bit since the other day. Everyone at the church has already taken notice of it." She revealed, as Jeanne gave off an embarrassed smile. She really should pay more attention to her surroundings.

"Arthur himself has been rather troubled lately. Did something happen?"

"I suppose you can say that." The young saint began as she twiddled her fingers. "The other day, he..."

She stopped herself in the middle of her thoughts, realizing that she doesn't necessarily have the right to talk about Arthur's past, even if she were to mention only a few details about it. And he most likely would not approve of it either.

While she was thinking about it, the sister asked another question that quickly snapped her out of her thoughts.

"Don't tell me he's run into an old flame of his? Could it be that he's troubled between choosing you or her?"

"H-Hah...!?" Jeanne's face quickly flashed scarlet at the Sister's words as she quickly raised her hands and waved them in denial. "I-It's nothing of the sort! We're no more than good friends...!"

"Ahahaha! You'll have to forgive me if I thought otherwise." The Sister laughed slightly as she directed a teasing smile towards Jeanne. "You have to admit child, two young adults such as yourselves, accompanied by no one but each other... unless people mistake you for siblings, which is doubtful given your accents, it would appear that the two you are lovers on a vacation."

Sister Petresia then smiled at the young blonde.

"And I was only joking. I suppose I only said that because I wanted to see what your reaction would be like."

Jeanne merely gave the Sister an annoyed look, the blush on her face not fading away anytime soon thanks to her words.

"Now then, are you feeling better?" The Sister suddenly asked.

"Eh?" The young saint blinked. She realized that thanks to the Sister's teasing her, she was no longer feeling as troubled as she was before.

The elderly woman then stood up, looking directly at the young saint.

"Now then, let's find somewhere else more appropriate for us to speak with each other."

* * *

"..."

Laying down on her bed with her hands behind her head and wearing nothing more than her tube-top and shorts, Mordred had a dazed expression on her face as she was lost in thought. The events of the other night still fresh within the reaches of her mind, most especially the events concerning what happened between her and her father.

Even now, she still could not comprehend it. She was quite confused by his actions that night, to the point she kept asking herself the same questions she had since then.

Did he not hate her? After everything that had happened between the two of them... why had he decided to defend her against Berserker's attack? She could tell, it wasn't out of honor or anything of the like. That much she knew from just looking.

There was also the fact that he said that he respected her. As alien as that word is coming from him of all people, she could not help but feel somewhat... happy. But at the same time, she was also confused.

In spite of her hatred she bore for him for having rejected her, her deepest desire more than anything else in the world was for her father to acknowledge her. To that end, she decided that she would use the Holy Grail in order to be given a chance to challenge the Sword of Selection, the very sword that allowed him to become the King of Britain as a fifteen year-old boy in the first place.

If she was successful in pulling out that sword from the stone, then would it not mean that she was a worthy successor and heir to him? Surely he would see her as just that if she were to do so.

That said, she had no actual desire to become a King like her father, nor did she want to use the Grail to directly gain what she desired. She would instead do it in a way she knew he would approve of. And despite the deeds she had done by the end of her life, she still had a sense of honor.

To gain something such as the throne of Britain by just wishing for it didn't really sit well for someone like her who worked hard in life to get where she was. And so she decided to simply settle for being given a chance at challenging the Sword in the Stone.

However, hearing her father's words the other night shook her beliefs somewhat. He said that he had always respected her. Did that mean he acknowledged her?

It didn't help that her feelings kept swaying back and forth between hatred, anger, joy, and confusion. She didn't know what to make of the situation, and that only served to frustrate her even more so.

"Damn it all...!"

She sat up and threw a pillow into the wall in front of her.

* * *

"Ah, now that is complicated."

Sitting outside of the church at a table were Jeanne and Sister Petresia, the former having just discussed what had happened the other night to the elderly nun. Of course, she had left out many details and merely said that Arthur ran into his very estranged family member.

"I want to help him, but I do not know how." The young saint began. "Even though there were times when my family and I argued, it never really escalated into something like hatred. Even when I decided to do things which caused them to fear for me, they still supported me in spite of it."

Memories of her father and mother briefly flashed throughout Jeanne's mind, causing her to smile somewhat. She wondered to herself what had happened to them after she was executed. She only hoped that they were able to move on with their lives.

"However, because of that, I don't know how to help Arthur as a result." She admitted to the sister as a small frown appeared on her face.

"Even if you know what he's going through, you don't want to say anything because you've never really experienced it yourself? And because of that, you've started feeling awkward and troubled because you don't know what to do?" The Sister inquired as she smiled at the blonde. "I can understand such a feeling. I went through the same things with some of my own friends when I was your age."

"I just don't want to come off as a hypocrite who doesn't know what she's talking about." The young saint added as she looked at the elderly woman. "Do you have any advice for me Sister?"

"I think you already know the answer." The Sister replied. "Just be yourself and be there for him as his friend. Whether you be upfront and have him talk it out with you, or you just silently stand by and support him. Any would do so long as you do it out of genuine concern for him."

True, that was the conclusion she herself had already come to. Her asking the sister on what to do was more along the lines of her just wanting to hear a second opinion so she could decide for herself.

She also pondered the idea of forcing the two to get together and to reconcile, but decided to not follow up on that as it would most likely only result in chaos given what she had seen of Mordred's attitude and the hatred she bore for her father. And she wasn't about to abuse her authority as Ruler to that extent, even if it was for the sake of her good companion.

And so Jeanne decided to go with the simple solutions. It may not help resolve the issue at hand, but perhaps it would help lessen the burden it had on her partner.

Smiling, she stood up and looked at the elderly nun.

"Thank you for taking the time to listen to me Sister Petresia. It's a most gracious thing to do."

"No, no, not at all, think nothing of it child." The Sister waved off with a smile on her face. "If anyone here is gracious, it is you. You're a kind girl Jeanne. You worry over the troubles of those around you and wish to be able to help out. Such a trait is quite admirable, especially for one as young as you."

"Hehe, you embarrass me." The blonde giggled.

Soon after the Sister decided to leave as she had something to do. Jeanne waved her goodbye as she decided to go out into the city and find if she could catch up with Arthur on his patrol throughout the city.

"Did you enjoy your talk with the Sister?"

Jeanne nearly jumped into the air when she heard Arthur speaking towards her. She saw him leaning on one of the pillars that held the front gate of the complex, a smile on his face and his arms crossed.

"Ahahaha... did you hear all that?" The young saint laughed nervously, she couldn't believe that she missed his presence completely. Her talk with the Sister must've been more distracting to her than she initially thought.

"Some of it." Arthur replied as faced the young saint directly. "While I appreciate the gesture, you don't have to worry about me Jeanne. I'm quite alright."

"Are you really?" She asked, her tone somewhat doubtful as she gave him a look. "You know, men like to act tough even when they're hurt. Someone I knew did it often, and now I think you're doing the same thing too."

Arthur responded by giving her an amused smile, shaking his head as he spoke. "You look down on me. Although I'll admit that the meeting with Mordred was something I never foresaw, it doesn't mean I would allow it to affect any of my actions as your Servant. Any personal demons I have, I shall set aside if it's for the sake of my Master."

The look on Jeanne's face didn't disappear for a few moments before it turned into a smiling expression. It looks like she had nothing to worry about after all. Gilles had once told her she was something of a worrywart at times.

Still though, one could never really predict what would happen in the future. All she could do was support her friend as best she could.

"Speaking of which Arthur, you're already done with what Brother Benedict asked of you?"

"Yes, though what he asked of me was something I never expected." The young man chuckled. "I never would have believed that a churchman would know such people unless I saw it with my own eyes."

"Eh? What happened?" She began as she motioned him to follow her. Considering how early he had arrived, she had guessed that he hasn't done much patrolling aside from the time he made his way thanks to the errand he was given earlier. Jeanne decided they might as well do it together now since they had the chance.

And so off the two went into the city, the day still quite early and thus a lot time to search.

There was also a chance of being able to catch up on that lead she had discovered the other day...

* * *

"It's been a while, hasn't it Lord El-Melloi?"

Entering the room with a smile on his face, Shirou Kotomine presented himself before the long-haired man together with both Assassin and Caster.

"It's El-Melloi II." Waver corrected as he gave a stern look towards the young man in front of him. "And just where have you been these past few days? I hope you have a decent explanation considering the recent events that have happened while you were away."

Accompanying Waver within the room were the other Masters of Red. Kairi made no attempt to hide the scowl on his face as he looked at the white-haired priest in front of him. Gray and Reines decided to merely remain quiet in order to see how events would unfold during their discussion. Rider was also within the room and sitting on a chair wearing his casual clothing.

"My apologies for that. I was busy with a great many things." Shirou began. "For one, I've been doing some reconnaissance of my own to gather any information that can give us an edge against the forces of Yggdmillennia. I've also been gathering materials for Assassin's Noble Phantasm."

"Gathering materials? Explain."

"I suppose since we are allies, you have a right to know." Shirou smiled as he gestured to the black-haired beauty beside him. "Assassin is not just of the Assassin-Class, she is also of the Caster-Class. She's what most would call a rare double-summon Servant."

That caused everyone to look at Assassin in surprise, causing the latter to grow an amused smile on her face as she saw their reactions.

"Anyway, Assassin's Noble Phantasm requires materials gathered from a certain place in order for it to be of any use." Shirou explained. "One of the reasons I've been away was to gather said materials for her through my contacts. After that, she's been slowly constructing it to perfection, and I've been helping her out during the past few days."

"Seems quite troublesome. Why didn't you ask us to aid you?"

"Her Noble Phantasm was already nearly completed by the time we had that meeting in Sighisoara, so I didn't feel the need to ask."

"I see." Waver nodded, though he was still wary of the young man. Like Kairi said, there was something off about the young man that caused him to feel cautious. Perhaps he was merely being paranoid, but such a trait had saved his life on more than one occasion given his occupation as a magus.

He then remembered the other person accompanying Shirou, and noticed that he was also a Servant just like Assassin. His 15th-Century clothing gave it away.

"I take it that this is Caster then?"

"Indeed indeed, a perceptive eye you have good sir~!" The English playwright suddenly declared as he went up towards Waver directly and began shaking his hands.

"William Shakespeare, at your service milord." He declared, not so much as bothered at having revealed his identity towards the others in the room.

"You mean the English playwright himself?" Reines voiced out in complete surprise. She did not see that coming at all.

Though not many would think about it, it was entirely possible for people such as the famous playwright to be summoned as Servants. Due to their achievements in life becoming part of world renown, they were considered Heroic Spirits in their own right.

"Ah, so you've heard me Lady Reines? I am honored." Caster replied as he smiled at the young girl.

"Is he even gonna be of any use to us?" Kairi couldn't help but point out in honesty as everyone looked at him. "I mean, from the looks of it, he doesn't really seem like a mage in the traditional sense. And from what I'm seeing, his parameters aren't all that impressive either."

"No, he won't be of any use to us at the moment. Which is why I consider myself lucky to have summoned Assassin due to her double-class nature." Shirou replied in complete honesty. There wasn't any real point in defending Caster's position given his abilities and personal stance on the Holy Grail War.

"Ah, such cruel words Master~" Caster declared in a feigned hurt tone. "True, I may not be as impressive as our Lady Queen of Assyria, but I am not so helpless as one might think either. Just call upon my aid and I will see if I may be able to do anything at all. Otherwise however, I remain but a spectator to this grand show you people call the Holy Grail War. Such an event needs to be recorded no? And who better than to make it into an epic tale than I, William Shakespeare!"

"Hahaha! Such an interesting fellow this guy is! He's at least honest about what he wants to do." Rider laughed before turning to look at Assassin, who was also frowning at Caster as he spoke of rather revealing information concerning herself.

"That said, Caster called you the Queen of Assyria. Am I to understand that you are none other than that person?"

A person who was the offspring of the Syrian mermaid goddess Atargatis, the woman who was considered the world's first poisoner, killing her husband Ninus and becoming the regent of Assyria for the next few decades. Said person was now standing in front of Rider and the rest.

"I suppose there's no point in hiding it now that this buffoon has revealed it." The raven-haired woman sighed as she shot a glare towards the English playwright. She would have a word or two with him later. "I am indeed that person. Does it trouble you King of Conquerors?"

"Nothing of the sort, just satisfying my curiosity is all." Rider replied. "That said, it looks like someone else wants to have a word with you now."

"Hmph, no wonder I felt a strange sensation when last I gazed upon you woman." A voice called out in distaste. "You and I are of the same lands then?"

And with those words, Archer of Red materialized within the room with his arms crossed and an unamused look on his face. Assassin, unperturbed by his sudden appearance, merely smirked as she replied towards him.

"And what of it Golden King? Does my origins interest you?" She asked the question with a knowing look on her face. Thanks to her Master, she already knew just who the man in front of her was. Such an interesting turn of events for someone to have summoned a Heroic Spirit such as him.

Off to the side, Rider's interest perked up once more when he heard a particular detail spoken by Archer himself.

 _'Hmm... they come from the same lands?'_ The King of Conquerors thought curiously. Given the region where Assyria was located, that narrowed down Archer's identity somewhat to the heroes who came from said lands. Given his mannerisms and Noble Phantasms... he started having an idea as to who the Servant of the Bow really was.

"Hmph. Such a vile woman you are, staring at me with such eyes." Archer declared, his voice taking a sudden angry tone. "It reminds of another that once dealt me a rather painful blow, one to which this day I have yet to forgive her for and never shall."

"For some reason that sounds like a compliment for one such as me." Assassin smiled in response, having an idea of the woman who he was referring to. "I thank you for the kind words Golden King."

Tempted to cut her down for her words, Archer began reaching for one of his blades. Seeing this, Reines called out to him.

"Please stop Archer, she's not worth your time."

Giving his Master an annoyed glare, he clicked his tongue and went back to crossing his arms as he spoke towards the long-haired woman.

"Consider yourself lucky wench, I will unleash my wrath upon you some other time then." Archer said as he left the room via the door. Seeing that another fight between allies had been averted, Waver sighed to himself.

"Such a troublesome that one and Saber are. If they keep acting like this, there's no telling what will happen to us in the future."

"Speaking of the future, I believe I have an idea on what we should be doing for tonight against our fellows from the Black Faction." The white-haired priest began as he revealed parchment to the group.

"Oh? You came up with something to strike our foes then?"

"Of the sort, King of Conquerors." Shirou replied with a smile on his face. "You can think of it as the first step towards the Grail itself."

* * *

Later that day...

***SLASH* *SLASH* *CLANG***

Inside the castle of Yggdmillennia, Saber of Black stood by himself with his sword drawn and three golems surrounding him, each holding a sword in hand. Off to the side, Caster of Black and her Master Roche, along with Gordes and Rider of Black, stood watching the spectacle before them.

One of the golems charged, and Saber of Black quickly took it down with a brief slam of his blade, sending it flying into a pillar.

However, it wasn't the end of it as said golem stood up from its place as the other two charge at Saber from behind.

"...!"

Swinging his blade in a large arc as he turned around, the two golems were quickly sent flying themselves. Saber then quickly dodged another attack coming from the third one and threw it overhead to the ground.

***CLANG***

It blocked his attack with one of its arms, the golem then quickly spun on the ground using its legs to try to catch the tall grey-haired man off guard. Fortunately for Saber, he noticed it and thus jumped back.

The other two quickly surrounded him once more, with the third one from before joining in as well.

***CLANG* *CLANG* *CLANG***

All three golems performed a simultaneous strike against their opponent, but to no avail as all merely bounced off Saber of Black's body once they connected. The grey-haired swordsman smirked slightly as he took advantage of their flinching.

***SLASH***

With a single blow, all three golems were quickly cut down collapsing in a heap. At this, Saber of Black sheathed his large blade.

"Hmph, as expected of someone of Saber's caliber." Caster mused. "Mere constructs aren't enough to threaten him at all."

"Are you sure that these things are going to be of any use to us Caster?" Rider of Black asked as he went up and knelt down to the ground to poke at the remains of one of the golems. "I mean, I may not know much about magic, but I think you need to improve them a little bit more."

"And that's the reason why I asked Saber to have a mock battle against them." The hooded woman replied as she turned to said swordsman's Master. "Tell me Sir Gordes, what does Saber think of the constructs we've created so far?"

She knew that Saber of Black had taken an oath of silence thanks to his Master, so asking him for him about anything was futile unless he had his Master to be able to communicate for him. Why he had chosen to obey such an order was beyond her, but perhaps he was simply being a loyal Servant.

"Saber tells me that while your creations were unable to harm him, they were at least able to put up what he calls a decent bout." Gordes began. "And I must say Caster, both myself and Saber were surprised by how they were able to perform. Making them more humanoid yet retaining their durability. It ends up adding more flexibility and speed has greatly increased their combat capability. Along with your Dragon-Tooth Warriors and our other allies, our forces will be unmatched."

"Of course! Considering that Teacher is a Magus from the Age of Gods, it's only natural she would be great wouldn't she?" Roche smiled as he crossed his arms. Caster gave an amused smile of her own as she saw this.

"Granted, we were actually going to summon the famed Solomon Ibn Gabirol, whose area of expertise are golems and artificial humans. His skills would have been a great asset towards Roche's line of magecraft which itself specializes in creating and controlling these constructs." Gordes revealed as he too went up towards one of the down golems to inspect it slightly. "But, once Darnic discovered a relic that could perhaps summon you, a Servant from the Age of the Gods, he couldn't resist the opportunity."

"Might I ask what is it you are trying to say Lord Gordes?" Caster asked, her tone dropping slightly but enough to show that she was maintaining a sense of civility.

"Ah, you think I am against you as an ally? That is not my intention." The man replied. "I'm merely saying that I am impressed with you. So far, you've done a great deal for us by strengthening the defenses of the Castle with your magic. Though I am still wary of you due to your reputation, I do respect you at the very least."

To hear such words coming from his relative, Roche could not help but look shocked as his mouth was slightly agape along with Saber of Black looking rather taken back himself if his widened eyes were of any indication.

Caster herself was also taken off guard. Ever since her summoning two months ago together with Lancer of Black, she had seen Gordes as someone of unpleasant nature thanks to the way he presented himself most of the time along with his ill treatment of most of the homunculi staff.

Rider on the other hand...

"Heh~" He began with sly smile. "So even a man such as you can know of such a virtue as respect. I'll admit Saber's Master, I'm really surprised~!"

"Hmph! Are you mocking me Rider!?" The portly man demanded in annoyance.

"No, no, not at all~!" Rider declared before a moment passed and he stuck on his tongue in a very cutesy fashion. "I'm lying, I really am mocking you~"

Gordes fumed slightly at his words before crossing arms and faced the other direction in a huff. He realized that trying to reprimand the pink-haired Servant was futile given his personality. Caster had an amused smile at this, Rider's rather friendly personality made him one of the few people she could get along with within the Black Faction other than her own Master that is.

"Hehehe... no need for such words Rider."

Entering the room with the sound of his voice as his herald was none other than Darnic Prestone himself. Accompanying him were Lancer, Archer, and Fiore.

"Come everyone, we are to have a meeting."

* * *

"What? You mean they aim to strike at us tonight?"

Gathered within the same throne room where Darnic and Lancer of Black first met with the Saint of Orleans and the King of Knights, Darnic revealed a rather telling piece of information towards his fellow Masters and their Servants about their foes.

"Yes, Julian confirmed it for us earlier today." The blue-haired man replied as he gave a brief glance towards the young man in question before he faced Gordes. "His Assassins have noticed strange activity coming from the Red Faction's base of operations. It seems like they're preparing for something big."

Everyone momentarily glanced at Assassin who was standing together with his Master. Or rather, their Master seeing as there were actually several of them standing with him, all of which were men of varying heights and one of which was an actual woman. The only thing remotely similar about them would have been their choice of clothing as well as the masks they choose to wore on their faces.

 _'These guys give the creeps...!'_ Berserker thought with a slight shiver. While she wasn't actually afraid of them, their general appearance just rubbed her the wrong way.

"But Grandfather, it's not like they're going to make a move on us tonight, right?" Caules couldn't help but state. "I mean, there is a chance that-"

"Don't be so foolish Caules, this is the Holy Grail War we're talking about." A woman spoke out wearing a similar outfit to Fiore except unlike her, she wore a business-like skirt in place of a pair of pants. She had long gray hair and a flattering figure, her eyes had a rather nasty look to them, which was doubled by the appearance of her glasses.

Her name was Celenike Icecolle, a fellow member of Yggdmillennia and Rider of Black's Master.

"The Red Faction are obviously going to strike at us. They've had more than enough time to prepare for an all-out assault, especially thanks to the ceasefire period that Ruler declared. Only an idiot would believe that they're aren't doing anything despite evidence to the contrary." She said sharply.

"Y-You do have a point..." Caules sighed in resignation. He felt so small compared to the other Masters. He knew that even Julian, whom he did not know all that well aside from knowing that he was an associate of his Grandfather, was a better magus compared to him.

"Hey! Don't be so mean to my Master!" Berserker suddenly shouted in the direction of the gray-haired woman. Turning to look at her, she replied.

"Hmph, I was only setting him straight. If anyone is at fault, it's that fool." The pinkette glared at her unamused, before suddenly a smile appeared on her face.

"Such a cranky lady you are, no wonder the only men that can _please_ you are your own servants. Nobody one wants to touch a sagging old hag~" The pinkette stuck her tongue out childishly.

Celenike glared at Berserker sharply after her words. Were it not for the fact that the person in front of her was a Servant, she would have struck the smart mouthing brat of a girl with her magic and begin thinking of ways torture her.

"That's enough Elizabeth, you shouldn't be picking fights with our comrades." Lancer suddenly declared as he looked at the pinkette.

"But she started it...!"

"Be that as it may, there is no excuse for your actions." The man replied in a stern tone, much like a parent scolding a child. "Now then, I ask that you behave for the rest of the meeting. Otherwise, I'll have you sent to your room, understood?"

"Yes..." Berserker replied, sulking somewhat as Rider gave her pitying smile and patter her head in comfort.

Caules on the other hand couldn't help but look somewhat amused at this. His Servant had basically been told off like she was some sort of child, and by the man known as Vlad the Impaler of all people. He also noted that compared to the way he spoke with the rest of the Black Faction, which was formal and commanding most of the time, Lancer had a somewhat softer approach when dealing with Berserker in general. What that meant, he did not know.

Satisfied at having dealt with his fellow Servant, Lancer turned to look at Darnic who proceeded to nod in understanding as he in turn looked at Celenike.

"Celenike, I must ask that you too refrain from saying anything out of turn." He began. "Berserker did act out because of your words to Caules after all."

"I understand Lord Darnic." The gray-haired woman replied, though she was somewhat displeased by it.

"Back to the matter at hand," Lancer began as he looked towards Caster. "How goes are forces? Are they up to standard?"

"If you wish for my opinion, then I would say yes. We should be prepared for anything the Masters of Red and their Servants could throw at us." Caster replied before she crossed her arms. "Unfortunately however, I haven't made much progress regarding the matter of that beast yet. Though I have now learned the means to summon it, controlling it is still out of our grasp."

"Well that's a shame then, I really wondered what it would be like to be able to ride a dragon~" Rider declared, somewhat starry-eyed at the concept much to the amusement of the hooded woman.

"If that's the case then, what shall we be doing next Grandfather?" Fiore spoke up for the first time. Looking at his heir, Darnic replied.

"I would suggest we wait." He began. "Though we already know of the identities of both Saber of Red and Rider of Red, and in the case of Saber of Red, some of her abilities as well, we still do not know the full extent of what exactly they can do. Which is also the case for the remaining Servants of Red. We must not act hasty even with all of our resources."

"So then, how shall our defense strategy go for tonight?" Gordes inquired.

"I shall answer that." Lancer declared as he stood up from his spot and had all eyes directed upon him. "First things first, our front line defenses will consist of the army that young Master Roche and Caster have spent the past two months building up. It will be a good chance to see just how well they can up against our opponents."

He then eyed Saber and Berserker.

"You two will act as our gate keepers. Thanks to the field Caster had set up, the only way to enter our domain without suffering any sort of negative penalty would be through the front entrance. Once enemy forces have broken through, they will head straight for the gate."

"Right! You can rely on us Uncle~!" Berserker declared.

"Uncle?" Caules muttered, but it looked like Lancer wasn't at all bothered by the term his Servant had called him by. In fact, he looked somewhat amused by it rather briefly.

"Archer, Assassin, Rider." Lancer began as he looked at said three Servants. "You will all provide support for both Saber and Berserker from a distance. Your abilities make you all quite reliable for such a role. Caster and myself will act as the defenders of this castle from the inside should the enemy find a way to push through our defenses."

"Understood, I shall perform to the best of my abilities." Archer replied with a bow. The Assassins did the same, but did so silently.

"So I'm not fighting on the front lines?" Rider stated with a crooked smile. "Well I suppose that would do as well. I've never really been a fan of fighting in general."

"Don't be such a coward Rider!" Celenike retorted in response to her Servant's words.

"How mean Master, looking down on me like that. I'm not being a coward, I'm ready to fight whenever I'm needed." The pinkette replied with a pout towards his Master before it suddenly broke into another smile. "I'm just the type who believes that people should always get along you know~? That's the reason why I'm not really a fan of fighting if it's to the death. You can't enjoy life if you're buried six feet under~"

Such a statement, despite being a participant in the event known as the Holy Grail War, could only be heard from the mouth of the man who was well known to be quite optimistic. That said, Caules actually agreed with Rider's views. Fighting to the death would be a rather morbid thing to go through.

"Say, can't we just gang up on them together and kill anyone who tries to get past the gate on the spot?" Berserker asked. "I mean, that would be a lot more simple right?"

"True, it would be simpler." Darnic replied in Lancer's stead. "However, the Red Faction must've already considered the possibility of us conforming to such an action. Thus, it wouldn't be surprising if they too were to gather all their strength and strike simultaneously."

"But there's also the fact that they're going to be fighting within enemy territory." Fiore continued for her grandfather. "We have the advantage over them. As a result, they cannot act afford to act carelessly. When attacking a stronghold, it would be best to first send in a few people to see how well fortified it is before deciding to attack it. It's a basic tactic don't you agree? Granted, they may go ahead and attack us head on if they believe themselves to powerful enough to do such a thing... but I believe you can understand what I'm trying to say at this point."

Berserker nodded at this, understanding the reasoning stated before her.

"Well done Fiore, your insight does you good." Darnic complimented his granddaughter, who merely smiled in response and blushed somewhat in embarrassment. "Now then, you all have your orders. The Red Faction will most likely strike sometime around midnight so as to reduce the chances of civilians witnessing the battle from a distance. Until then, you are all to prepare. Dismissed!"

With that, the meeting was adjourned as each of the Masters went on their way to prepare for the assault that was to come only a few hours from now.

"Saber! Berserker!" Rider of Black suddenly called out towards the two Servants acting as their front line defense. Both stopped in their tracks as they turned to look at the other pink-haired Servant.

"Good luck to the two of you, be sure to stay safe~!"

"Of course! I still have to settle my score with you about that singing contest we had!" Berserker declared in response as Saber nodded as well. And with that, Rider left together with his Master as did the others soon after.

* * *

Several hours later, within the city of Trifas, Jeanne sat on a bench at a public park. Night had fallen and covered the city in a blanket of darkness that was kept at bay by the various lights that littered the streets and buildings.

"Hah, it's been a long day..." She sighed to herself as she stretched her limbs. Despite her enhanced physical attributes, she was still prone to such acts thanks to the limitations presented by her human body.

At the end of the day, both she and Arthur couldn't find out about anything new in relation towards the rogue Servants within the confines of the city. There was only so much ground they could cover thanks to their inability to go into spirit form.

There was also the matter of the Master of Red that Jeanne felt was connected to the aforementioned matter. While she wanted to do something in regards to them, she didn't want to antagonize any of the Red Faction members with her suspicions of one of their members. The young saint needed more information before she could act. Thus, she decided that for now, it was better observe the actions of the Red Faction first and then, when the opportunity presents itself, strike.

It was then that something very cold pressed itself against her cheek.

"Ah!" She yelped in surprise at the sudden sensation. She looked up to see Arthur holding two bottles of water. Looking behind him, she saw a vending machine not too far from where she was sitting at the park, noting that he must've brought it from there.

"I thought you could use a drink." He said as he handed to bottle to her.

"Thank you." She smiled at him as she began drinking.

"Had the day been what you expected it to be?" He asked, sitting beside her as he also began drinking. Compared to his Master who actually had the needs of a normal human, he drank water because it pleased him. It offered a refreshing experience even if one didn't need it.

"Somewhat. I didn't really expect to find anything new just like yesterday." She replied.

"Life has never really been that easy. It will not simply give you what you desire even if you wanted it to. Such is the reality of our world." Arthur replied with a crooked smile on his face. This was something Jeanne frowned at. Or rather, she pouted and thus raised two of her fingers, the index and middle to be precise.

In accordance to her beliefs and what Sister Petresia had told her, this was something she was going to do for his sake as his friend and Master.

"Arthur."

"Yes-What the!?"

Mere inches away, the young man moved his head away as two fingers missed having poked his eyes out. It then repeated several times over, causing a rather amusing scene for those who saw them. It only came to a stop when Jeanne's hand was caught by the other blonde.

Arthur then looked at the young saint rather incredulously as he also noticed the pouting look she was giving him. He began sweating slightly as this was the first time she looked rather visibly annoyed with him. What did he do to suddenly make her like this?

"J-Jeanne?" He began.

"You were lying to me earlier weren't you?" She suddenly declared as she pointed a finger at him. "You said you were alright, but right now you're not acting like it."

"Is this about what I said about life not being easy? I was mostly speaking about it as a whole rather than what I've experienced myself." Arthur replied, but Jeanne was not convinced as she pressed a finger against his chest.

"Don't make excuses, you were thinking about happened the other night weren't you?" She stated, and she knew she hit the mark when she saw him turn his head away slightly. It looks like the feeling she had earlier was right after all.

"I knew it." The young saint crossed her arms. "Arthur, if you have a problem you want to talk about, you should just be honest about it and not hide it away."

"I assure you, it wasn't anything like that at all." He replied as raised both hands in a defensive way. "And I don't want to waste your time with me when you have your own duties as Ruler that need to be fulfilled."

"That can wait. I'm also your Master in case you have forgotten. As such, I'm also inclined to take care of you while you serve me." She pointed out. "And as your friend, I feel the need to help you out whether you like it or not. In other words, you're stuck with me."

The logic of her statements caused Arthur to give up as he knew dragging on the issue wouldn't have gotten either of them anywhere. He also gave off a mirthful smile towards the other blonde since he found her actions to be both amusing and sweet.

"So then, this is still about what happened with Mordred isn't it?" She began.

"Yes." He nodded, deciding to admit his thoughts to her. "Even now, I still feel like I should be doing something rather than just sitting here and waiting for her to come to me instead."

"Do you wish to make amends with her?"

"No, that is a possibility far beyond my reach. And one that I do not deserve." Arthur gave off a slight chuckle, one that wasn't of amusement. Something that caused the young saint to look at him sadly. "I just feel the need to correct all the wrongs I did to her. But I just don't know where to even begin such a thing."

"Why did you reject her in the first place?" She began, pausing for a moment a she knew that things were becoming rather personal. "I mean, I know about your history and legend, but I want to hear it from you."

"Where do I even begin?" Arthur replied, scratching the back of his head with a sigh. "To start with, she was a child born out of wedlock. I know from firsthand experience that people wouldn't accept her easily thanks to the nature of her birth. Second, she was nothing more than a pawn of her mother. I knew it from the moment I laid eyes on her. Even if I wanted to acknowledge her, I couldn't risk the security of my Kingdom because of it."

Jeanne nodded in understanding. In most tales, Morgan Le-Fay was almost always involved with the downfall of King Arthur.

"Thirdly, she wanted to become my successor to the throne. I highly doubt that many of my people back then would accept a female ruler. I think that's the reason why she decided to wear that heavy armor most of the time, to hide the fact that she was a woman from the people so she would be able to become King."

"But you saw through her disguise correct? Is that why you rejected her?"

"No, that's not it. I'm not someone so low as to judge a person's worth by whether or not they were born a man or woman." He replied. "Mordred most definitely had the heart and ability. She was a fine Knight, upholding the law and followed the code of chivalry. In time, with some tempering of her own recklessness and arrogance, I believe she would have made a fine leader. And if need be, I probably would have used my authority to press the issue even if some wouldn't agree to it."

"Then why did you reject her...?"

"Well, If I were to say something... then I suppose the main reason would be that I couldn't accept her."

"Couldn't accept that she was your child?" She added for him.

"Yes. Perhaps everything else was just an excuse."

He solemnly nodded, looking up towards the sky with a crooked smile on his face.

"At the time, I couldn't come to terms with it. Had Mordred chosen to reveal herself earlier or at a later date, there could have been a chance of us... No, that's just another excuse of mine. In truth, I chose to reject her simply because I  _wouldn't_  acknowledge her as my own. I spoke harsh words, banished her from my Kingdom, and it all eventually ended with the two of us dying by the other's hand. Such is life I suppose..."

With that, the young man ended his talk, causing the other blonde to look at him sadly once more.

"Perhaps you two should have a talk with one another then?" Jeanne suggested. "Wouldn't that be the best thing to do?"

"I doubt that she'd want to speak with me on unless it's when we fight." Arthur replied. "After all, you heard her say it. Why should she listen to anything I have to say to her anymore? Even the name of her Noble Phantasm tells me that she demands that my blood be spilled."

Clarent Blood Arthur. The name of the Noble Phantasm Mordred had used to take down Berserker the other night. When it was unleashed, he could actually feel a surge of anger and hatred directed towards him despite it being aimed towards the Black Knight.

"You shouldn't be so negative." The young saint chided as the other blonde looked at her. "You never know, perhaps even she wants to make amends herself. But she can't be honest with herself because she's... difficult, and can't express her feelings correctly."

Such a statement caused the young man to chuckle briefly at her description for Mordred. His Master was definitely trying to think of a way to describe her positively but had trouble at that moment. Said action only caused Arthur to chuckle briefly before smiling at Jeanne.

"While I would like to believe in what you said, I doubt that would be the case." He replied, his voice beginning to take on a more cheerier tone. "Still though, I thank you for having this conversation with me. I now feel like a heavy burden has been lifted from my shoulders somewhat."

"That's good to hear. If you ever need to talk, I'm here for you. Alright?" She said and smiled at him in response. Though his problem hadn't been solved yet, it looked like he wasn't as bothered by it anymore. And that was a good thing, wasn't it?

It was then she was reminded of another question she had been meaning to ask the young man. It was a question that's been on her mind since the night he and Mordred fought against one another.

"Speaking of which Arthur, how old are you exactly?"

"Hmm? I'm twenty-five, what brought this on?" He stated in a casual tone, causing Jeanne to freeze slightly at the revelation.

"R-Really?! Then how old is Mordred?!" She asked. The Knight of Treachery looked to be about her age, so if Arthur was twenty-five, then when was she conceived!?

"Ah, now I understand. This is about Mordred's appearance isn't it?" He said before he noticed the somewhat reddening expression on the young saint's face. This caused him to look at her confusingly before realization struck his mind. "Wait, you're not thinking that I-No! Do not misunderstand me as someone like that! I am not my brother!"

"Eh? Ah! No, no, no! I-I wasn't thinking that at all! Ahahaha...!" Jeanne nervously stated. "I mean. I'm not really judging you for it, I know you're a good man at heart."

"The look in your eyes tells me otherwise." Arthur deadpanned before sighing. "If you must know, I became King at the age of fifteen and ruled for over ten years before I died. If I'm correct, then Mordred was conceived at least three years after I first became King, thanks to my sister's scheming no less. That would at least make her six to seven years old."

It was thanks to those words alone that Jeanne was able to guess what he meant by that statement as he gave off a look that was in between being troubled and somewhat embarrassed when he said it. She knew better than to ask anymore because it would've gone beyond personal by that point.

However, something still didn't add up...

"But if that's the case, how can she looked to be that old then?"

"The simple answer would be that her growth must've been accelerated with magecraft done by my sister no less. That's the only logical conclusion I can come to." Arthur stated, as Jeanne nodded in understanding. If magecraft was involved, then it really was the only explanation as to why Mordred looked to be a young woman instead of the child that she was supposed to be.

She remembered that according to legend, Mordred's mother was a witch of incredible power. Said to be equal to Merlin himself in some works. If that was the case, then accelerating the age of a child to the point they would look like adults within only a few years would've been rather easy then.

It also clued her into another thing...

"I see, so that's why you thought of her as a pawn of her mother."

"Yes. Morgan was a very powerful mage, and bore a very strong hatred for me ever since I first met her." He revealed. "When I found out that Mordred's mother was none other than my very estranged sister, I couldn't take any chances with her. She could have easily been controlled the moment she was born."

She nodded in understanding, but couldn't help but feel sad for both the young man seated beside her and Mordred. Their relationship with each other was heavily influenced by another party. Because of that influence, things ended up turning sour for the both of them.

It was because of her thoughts that she failed to notice the growing smirk on Arthur's face.

"But enough of this dreary talk. I never expected a saint such as yourself to think of some rather... naughty thoughts. I'm surprised Master."

"W-What?! What do you mean by naughty thoughts?!"

Whatever Jeanne had been thinking about at that moment quickly disappeared from her mind as said thoughts were replaced with embarrassment and annoyance at Arthur's words, her cheeks growing a red hue in the process.

"Well, your reaction just now about how Mordred was born spoke to me what you were thinking about. I can't believe that you quickly came to that conclusion on your own. I don't whether or not to feel insulted or to just laugh." He casually replied.

"...!" The young saint froze up, the embarrassed blush on her face growing by the second. Seeing this, the young man couldn't help but laugh at his Master's expense. For all her dignity as a Heroic Spirit, Jeanne was still a normal person at heart. The thought of which bringing a smile to his face.

"Hehe. Now then, shall we get going?" Arthur said as he stood up, still smiling at his Master's reaction. "It's getting late, and if we have no more locations to check out, I suggest you allow your body to rest up for the night."

"R-Right..."

The young saint replied as she directed an annoyed pout at him, realizing that once more Arthur had been teasing her. She should have expected that he would have brought something like that up. Really now... she should have seen it coming.

...!

"Ah! Do you feel that Arthur?"

Hearing his Master call out to him, the young man in question paused in the middle of walking as he looked in her direction. He noticed that she was staring into space with a rather serious expression, meaning something was troubling her.

Clearing his mind, Arthur focused his senses on what Jeanne had just asked him about. Thanks to their connection to one another, he also shared her ability to sense things in a far wider range than what he would normally be limited to.

"I feel it." He began. "There's movement in the night, and not of the ordinary kind."

"It seems that a battle is about to begin." Jeanne concluded. "And from the way they're moving... it's at the Black Faction's Castle!"

* * *

A little while later, near midnight...

"Hmph. I must admit, the defense force they've put up is rather impressive."

From a distance, Shirou Kotomine and Waver Velvet stood as they watched the homunculus/golem army form at the gate of the Yggdmillennia Castle. There were so many of them that it would not be easy to break through unless one had another army ready to strike.

"Shall I have Rider to deal with this?" Waver suggested as said person materialized beside him.

"Want me to deal with this? Fine by me, it looks to be an exciting challenge!" Rider declared as he smashed his fists together.

"No need. If my guess as to what the King of Conqueror's Noble Phantasm is, then we should be saving it for later." Shirou replied much to Rider's disappointment. "Besides, I have another solution for this situation. I believe that they shall be more than enough."

"You mean Saber and Lancer?" Waver inquired. "You said a third would be joining them. Am I correct to assume that this third would be none other than...?"

"You're about to find out in three, two, one..."

* * *

***BOOM***

An explosion rang out in the air as several dozen of the army was quickly decimated by the arrival of three figures.

The first was none other than Saber of Red, the Red Knight deciding to use her Helmet for this battle. Beside her stood Lancer, a wicked smile on his face that signified that he was quite excited for what was about to happen. The third was a new person entirely...

Said person was a man with a rather large build. He wore what looked to be red ancient-chinese style armor and a pheasant-tail headpiece on top of his head. In his right hand was a halberd of great length. A ferocious aura surrounded his entire being, an aura so ferocious that it was correct to say that he was demanding blood be spilled right in front of him.

It was too obvious as to who he was...

"RAAAAAAAAAAAAAAGH!"

Letting out a mighty roar, Berserker of Red charged alongside Saber and Lancer into the army waiting for them.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And that's Chapter 6. It should be pretty obvious to you guys just who the heck Berserker of Red is. I figured that having him around is better than Spartacus whose role was basically to blow himself up and never to be heard of again. That, and I find the former to be a lot more dangerous that Spartacus is as an overall fighter. In case some of you thought it was going to be Heracles, let me tell you this. I do that and the Red Faction will go beyond OP by that point.
> 
> Next chapter, it's Red vs Black for the first time. The first official battle between the two factions of the Holy Grail War commences. Let's see how it unfolds shall we?


	7. Act I-7: Red vs Black I

"Hah!"

Mordred let out a mighty cry as she charged through the enemy forces in front of her, a wild grin on her face as she did so.

***SLASH* *SLASH* *CLANG***

One by one, each one of her opponents fell before her blade. Her view was swarmed with an army of white-haired humans, golems, and skeleton warriors. However, this would not be enough to stop her. They could come at her all they wanted, it would not matter. The Knight of Treachery would not be stopped by such things.

She was also able to note thanks to her own origins that the white-haired soldiers she was fighting weren't actually humans, but were actually homunculi. Though she was somewhat perturbed by this fact, she would not allow it to sway her from her objective for the night.

***SLASH* *SLASH***

She kept cutting down everything coming at her. Despite this, they kept charging despite how obviously outclassed they were. Most likely it was their tactic in order to tire her and her companions out. At this, Saber merely let out a demand as she smirked.

"Come at me! Is that the best you puppets can do!?"

***SLASH* *SLASH***

She bisected two enemy golems in front of her, the two constructs quickly falling to pieces. Quickly, she moved as another came upon the spot where she had just been standing. A small crater then formed thanks to the impact of the third golem's attack. Seeing an opportunity, the Red Knight swung her sword vertically and then horizontally, cutting apart the golem.

She then saw a male homunculus charging right at her, which then resulted in a smirk growing on Mordred's face.

***STAB***

Before her foe could even get within range to attack, the Knight of Treachery threw her sword, the blade burying itself deep within her opponent's head as he collapsed onto the ground in a heap. She then quickly followed up by running over towards Clarent while picking up the longsword from her fallen enemy.

***SLASH* *SLASH***

Though she had no training in wielding two blades at the same time, for someone like Mordred who relied more on brute force, it did not matter if she had the skill or not. So long as she knew how to fight, that was more than enough.

She also noted that the weapons they were also using were of very fine material given how easily her secondary weapon was easily slicing through her foes and how lightweight it was at least when compared to someone her size. Most likely, the one who created it along with the constructs she was fighting against, was none other than Caster of Black. Whoever he or she was, they were the only one who would be capable of creating weapons strong enough to stand against someone like her.

***STAB***

She impaled another homunculus standing before her, quickly charging forward as she ran through several more.

***BOOM***

With a quick burst of red lightning, her impaled foes were all blown to bits along with those who were unlucky enough to be standing near and in front of her as she performed the deed.

 ***CLANG*** ***SLICE***

Parrying a blow from another foe her other weapon, she quickly followed up by bisecting her current opponent.

Five more enemies then came upon her as Mordred turned around to face them...

***BAM* *BAM* *BAM***

Several strong punches suddenly sent them all flying towards some of their allies, causing them to collide with one another and collapse to the ground. Looking towards the source, she saw Lancer standing there with a smirk on his face.

"Letting your guard down Saber? It would be a shame if you died so suddenly~"

"Shut it you twit, I was about to take care of that myself!" The blonde growled as she turned to ignore him and continued her charge against their foes. Seeing this, Lancer could only shake his head and laugh as several golems and skeleton warriors, which he had recognized as Dragon Tooth Soldiers, approached him with the intent to kill.

***BAM***

Several moments went by as the constructs remained still while Lancer remained unresponsive to their simultaneous strike. He then raised his head, a grin on his face as he spoke aloud towards the constructs and homunculi that surrounded him.

"What's the matter? Can't hurt me can you?" He said, the grin on his face turning into a smirk. "If that's the case, get out of my way!"

***SLASH***

Swinging his spear in a wide arc, the Servant of the Lance quickly dispatched of several golems that surrounded him. Seeing another come upon him, he merely smirked as he stood there and allowed it to hit him in the face.

Once more, the attack had no effect, as if he wasn't feeling anything at all from the blow landed upon him. As such, Lancer responded by dispatching his current opponent as he did earlier with the others. He then continued his charge towards the Castle Gate, his smirk turning into a sad smile.

Though he liked the fact that he was finally able to fight for the first time since his summoning, he was highly disappointed that none of them could even scratch him. Thanks to the blessing from the Gods he had received as a child, he would not be harmed by anything that wasn't similar origin as to the Gods themselves. As a result, any battle he would fight in would end in his victory due to his invincibility.

He had one weakness that could be exploited, but he wasn't stupid enough to allow himself to once more fall for the same trick that caused his original defeat in the first place. He wished for an opponent that he could fight on equal terms with, and so far none of the enemies he had been fighting were of that stature. He hoped that the Servants of Black could provide more decent entertainment than their puppets could.

***BOOM***

"Well, at least those two are having fun." Lancer commented as he looked in both Saber and Berserker's direction.

Speaking of the Servant of Madness, the green-haired spearsman noted that he wasn't half-bad. Despite being insane, he was actually able to retain some of his skills as a warrior given the way he swung his halberd against the oncoming foes in front of him. Had it not been for the fact that Berserker was also someone unable to harm him, he believed he would have enjoyed having a serious bout with him.

"Well, I guess I can't let myself get left behind now can I?"

* * *

"Hmm... such fierce guests we have for the night."

Watching the battle from within the throne room of the Yggdmillennia Castle were Darnic, Vlad, and Caster, the latter of which was using her crystal ball to observe the ongoing battle between the Yggdmillennia Army and the Red Faction Servants.

"Indeed. Perhaps we should have invested more time in readying our army?" Darnic mused.

Truth be told, Darnic had always expected such an event. Having fought as a Master during the last original grail war half a century ago, he knew first hand how powerful a Servant could be. He just never thought that the Servants of Red would be able to break through so fast despite all their preparations.

"As much as I would want to believe in such a thing, I think it would be for naught considering the opponents our forces face. No matter if they if were on a level compared to a lesser Servant, if faced with one of a far superior then the end result is what we see before us." Caster replied, displeased in the fact that, despite her hard work for the past few months, it all was quickly being undone as the three Servants decimated their army.

Then again perhaps it was to be expected? Only a Servant, or something of equal or superior power, could match Servant as they say. No mere constructs would prove a hindrance for beings such as them.

"Considering who one of them is, it's not all that surprising. We've already seen what she can do." Vlad added. "Not to say that her two companions aren't as dangerous as her that is. Both are proving to be quite troublesome in their own right."

The Knight of Treachery was an opponent that could not be taken lightly, as was her two companions whoever they were. In particular, the green-haired warrior was the one that caught his attention the most. Vlad deduced that he was none other than his counterpart, Lancer of Red, given that he was fighting with a spear.

Unlike Saber of Red who took the time to actually dodge enemy attacks and counter them, his counterpart more or less just stood there and took every attack directed towards him. Yet despite all that, nothing happened. No matter if one tried to stab him or clobber him with a blunt object, nothing was affecting him. They would need to find a weakness soon, otherwise this battle may end up heavily favoring the Red Faction.

And their wasn't really anything he had to say about Berserker of Red since, well, he was Berserker. It was only natural to assume he would be a troublesome foe. Still though, the one before them was quite powerful in his own right. He noted that the Red Faction must have had considerable luck to have been able to summon such powerful Heroic Spirits as their Servants.

"Oh my, according to one of the Assassins, it appears that Rider of Red is going to be joining the fray soon." Caster spoke up.

"Milord, do you have anything you wish to say in regards to our current situation?" The blue-haired man spoke out at the man sitting upon the throne. "At this rate, the Red Faction Servants will break through our defenses."

"Have our remaining forces of homunculi and golems withdraw for now. Better to save what we have in order to use later." Vlad began. "After that, have Saber and Berserker intercept them, we did have them stationed there after all."

"And what of Rider of Red?"

"Rider is to intercept the King of Conquerors. He is the only one among us, aside from perhaps Caster that is thanks to her magic, who is capable of flying at a speed capable of matching that chariot of his." He continued. "Have Archer support him during their bout if possible. I want him to be able to keep an eye and everything that's happening from where he stands."

"Should we have the Assassins make a move or should they remain as they are and continue to observe?"

"Yes. As far as the enemy knows, there's only two Assassin-Class Servants. Ours and theirs. Right now, it's too early to reveal what Assassin's true capabilities. But if they see an opportunity, have them find out where the Masters of Red are hiding at. They must be close by if their Servants are performing an assault tonight. I doubt that people such as the King of Conquerors and the Knight of Treachery would wish to serve under anyone who wouldn't willingly ride into battle with them."

"As you wish." Caster said as she began delivering the order with one of her familiars. At this, a smile grew on Lancer of Black's face.

_'It's time to see how well our allies can stack up against our foes.'_

"Hmm... Now I see. No wonder he seemed somewhat familiar..."

Vlad quickly looked towards Caster who spoke in tone full of wonder and surprise.

"What happened...?" He asked as the woman in purple and black looked towards him with a smile visible underneath her hood.

"It seems that our dear friend Archer knows about that spearsman down below."

* * *

"RAAAAAAGH!"

Letting out a cry of rage, Berserker swung the halberd in his hands rather easily despite its large size. He easily pushed through his foes with none being able to slow him down even for a moment. Truly, the members of the Berserker-Class were a force to be reckoned with.

And as such, it was only correct that another force of similar strength would be needed to confront the Servant of Madness.

***CLANG***

Berserker's halberd suddenly found itself interlocked with another weapon, a greatsword to be exact. When the former looked to see who dared to even stand before him, he saw a tall man with long platinum-blonde hair bordering on grey or silver wearing similarly colored armor.

Taking advantage of his foe's brief confusion, Saber of Black kicked him back.

"Hello~!"

***SMASH***

Which was then quickly followed up by Berserker of Black cheerily greeting her counterpart as she smashed her weapon, which was a large spear, into his own causing the ground beneath them to break apart forming a small crater. The pinkette then landed on the ground as she followed up with another strike which was quickly blocked by the other Servant of Madness.

"You must be my counterpart then. I have to admit, I was hoping it would be someone like me." Elizabeth said with a smirk on her face as she stood her ground against her foe with their weapons pushing against one another.

"RAAAAAAAGH!"

"...!"

All that quickly came to end as she suddenly found herself being blown back rather forcefully. It was rather clear to say that her counterpart was easily stronger than her physically speaking considering his build.

Seeing this, she picked herself up.

***CLANG***

"...!?"

Elizabeth nearly fell back when suddenly out of nowhere Saber of Red appeared before her with her blade raised. Seeing this, Saber of Black stepped in front of his ally and parried the incoming sword strikes.

***CLANG* *CLANG* *CLANG***

The Red Saber followed up with three more consecutive blows, all of which was parried, and during said moment the second sword she had been wielding was shattered due to Saber of Black's strength. Unfazed by it, Mordred made a charge towards the Black Saber as their blades were caught in a deadlock, sparks flying slightly between them.

"Heh! I take it you must be Saber of Black!" She smirked at him. "It's about time a worthy opponent showed up, I was getting tired of killing all these puppets you people have been throwing at us."

Unfazed by her statement, Saber of Black pushed back his opponent with a hard swing. With that, both Servants of the Sword began trading blows with one another. It was going to be a high speed battle that could only be appreciated by warriors such as they.

Much like the bout with her father, Saber of Black was a far better swordsman compared to the likes of Mordred. Once again, this didn't really faze her ability to stand against such foes. Along with her strength and stubbornness as her Master called it, she had the advantage of her small size and speed when compared to her larger counterpart. And thanks to those two attributes, she was able to keep up with him

"RAAAAGH!" Berserker of Red roared as he charged towards Saber of Black, intent on taking him on as well.

***CLANG***

"I don't think so!" Elizabeth stated as she blocked an incoming strike from Berserker of Red towards her ally. "Keep your eyes on me big guy, it's rude to ignore a lady don't you know~?"

"RAAAAAAAAAAAAAAGH!"

***SMASH***

Elizabeth leaped as Berserker of Red swung his halberd down hard upon the spot where she had just been standing, the force of the attack causing a crater to form.

"Ugh... why couldn't you be more like me?" The pinkette muttered to herself in disappointment as she began trading blows with her counterpart. Trying to make conversation with the insane really was an exercise in futility. She felt like she got the short end at a straw lottery.

* * *

"Wow, it looks like everyone's giving it all they've got~"

"Indeed."

Atop one of the many towers of the Castle were Astolfo and Chiron. Both were currently observing the battle between both Saber and Berserker. Suffice it to say, it was quite an entertaining spectacle to behold.

"Right, I suppose it's time for the both of us to do our jobs." The male pinkette said as he stood up and began stretching his limbs. "I wonder if the King of Conquerors will be making an appearance tonight? I haven't met him yet, but I heard from Saber that he's a really interesting person~"

Such a statement caused Chiron to smile at his companion. Being comrades with one such as the young paladin was a rather refreshing experience.

It was at that point that he looked up in the sky as he felt a presence.

"I believe he is already waiting for you my friend." Chiron pointed out as he directed a finger to the sky.

Looking up, the young paladin saw a flying chariot pulled by two large bulls. There at the reins stood a man with a rather large build and red hair and a matching red cape. It became obvious to Astolfo as to who that man was.

He could see clear as day the smile on his counterpart's face. It was a smile that could basically be translated into two words.

Bring it!

"Archer, I'm leaving everything else here to you alright?" Astolfo said as he turned around to face the green-haired centaur using a human form. "I'd like it if we all are able to make it out tonight in one piece."

"I'll be sure to live up to your expectations my friend." Chiron stated in response with a smile on his face. "Though I do have some business I would like to take care of as well. If I don't, then I believe this battle may turn out to be rather one-sided."

"Really?" Astolfo's curiosity peaked up. "And what business would that be?"

"Keeping at bay an old student of mine..." Chiron began as the smile on his face grew wider. "And to see how much he had grown since I last saw him."

* * *

"I must say, it's as chaotic as I expected it to be."

Standing atop a cliff-side that overlooked the entire battlefield were Arthur and Jeanne. The duo had just arrived at the scene and where currently observing the battle. So far, nothing big had happened yet that required the two to interfere which was something of a relief for both.

"They're all fighting quite impressively." Jeanne added. "It goes to show one that they're all individuals who have earned their place as Heroic Spirits."

The White Knight nodded at this in agreement before looking back towards the battlefield. His gaze currently focusing on one specific individual.

At the moment, she was fighting against Saber of Black. Jeanne had told him that the Servant of Black was none other than legendary dragon-slayer Siegfried. With that in mind, he saw Mordred's chances of winning their bout go from even to slim.

"Are you worried about her?" The other blonde stated with a knowing look on her face as she saw the expression on her partner's face.

"No. I'm just curious to see how long she will be able to fare against Saber of Black. That's all." He stated in reply, but his Master only smiled at him in response.

"Just be honest with yourself, you're worried about her aren't you?"

"I suppose it's useless to hide it from you." Arthur sighed with a slight grin on his face. "I know that we are to be a neutral party in this war, but I suppose I can't help but cheer her on. In spite of everything that's happened between us, she was still a former knight in my service. Perhaps the me from back then who still viewed her as an ally has faith that she can pull through."

Though considering who her opponent was, the white knight believed he already knew who was going to win. But despite that, he wanted to believe otherwise.

The young saint merely continued to smile at him. To worry about and even cheer on someone whose actions resulted in both the end of his kingdom and his own life... Even if she didn't know everything about what happened, she was sure of one thing though. That the person in front of her truly was a kind soul.

She then turned her gaze towards the the distance. She looked directly at a hill filled with trees that was located south from the Yggdmillennia Castle. She could sense the Masters of Red standing there observing the battle themselves.

Along with the Master the Grail had provided her information about...

Whoever that person was, Jeanne strongly felt that said person really was involved in the strange occurrences that had been happening since the beginning the of the Holy Grail War. However, as much as she wanted to confront him now, she first had the duty of overseeing the battle below in order to make sure nothing got out of hand.

She could always send Arthur in her place instead, but she wasn't comfortable with the idea of letting her partner go off on his own without someone to back him up in case something were to happen. As powerful a Servant he was, he was still one person and could be overwhelmed given the right circumstances.

 _'Right now, there are ten Servants out in the field.'_ She began in her thoughts. _'Whether the winner of this battle be Red or Black, I pray that whatever happens now will result in a fortuitous outcome for the Holy Grail War and everyone involved.'_

She could only rely on such thoughts now. She believed that the situation would only continue to escalate itself in the near future.

* * *

"Hmph. How is it that I am here with you lot when I could fighting on the front lines with the rest of the rabble?"

Seated upon a sofa of the finest quality was Archer of Red, the gold clad Servant looking rather displeased as he stared at his Master who sat beside him drinking tea. Right now, the duo were at the same spot where the rest of the Masters of Red where gathered in order to overlook the battlefield where Saber, Lancer, Berserker and Rider where fighting at.

Speaking of which, the sofa where both Master and Servant were seated upon was something pulled out from the Golden Archer's treasury, which itself wasn't limited to merely weapons alone. Along with it, he also pulled out a small table where the former laid both his legs at.

"It can't be helped." Reines declared as she set down her teacup. "After all, you lost to Lancer this time in that little game of yours."

Said game was another rock-paper-scissors match between Archer and Lancer. The prize being that whoever won would be the one to fight during the current battle and the one who lost would serve as the guardian of the Masters of Red during it. Needless to say, the latter had won the second bout given the former's current position.

"Hmph! That fool got lucky!" Archer said in response as he crossed his arms. "Should he and I go another round, I will emerge victorious from there on and so forth!"

Reines merely giggled at this as the Golden King growled in annoyance. As much as he was displeased by it, his honor as a warrior forbade him from breaking the oath that he swore. He then sighed and calmed himself down. He decided that he might as well drink some wine while waiting for something interesting to happen.

To which he then summoned a jug and cup, and soon began drinking. A scene which was witnessed by Kairi Shishigou as he looked at Waver and spoke.

"Remind me again as to why Archer isn't part of our assault force?" He asked. "You've seen his fight with that Black Knight didn't you? He sure as shit looks like he'll be an asset in this battle. And why aren't we using him as long-range support either?"

He had asked Waver about Archer's identity, and though the younger man was hesitant about revealing it, he decided to forego with it since knowing about it wouldn't really change much other than knowing the name of the Golden Servant. Suffice it to say, he was surprised and awed by it once told. It explained a lot about Golden Servant, from his mannerisms, style of dress, the way he fights and how powerful he was.

It was scary to think what would happen if he was an opponent instead of an ally.

"As powerful as he is, he's hard to control." Waver replied, whispering the last part so that the Golden King wouldn't hear. "Saber and Lancer are at least a little more manageable, and Kotomine has complete control over Berserker. Along with Rider, they're the ideal team for a battle where you want to ensure the least amount of damage to your surroundings. Adding him on the other hand... I'd rather not take the chance, especially since he has a short temper."

Gazing towards the red-eyed blonde currently lazing about on his sofa, Waver continued to speak.

"Besides, we'll need at least one Servant to keep protect us should something happen. And this way, we can at least keep a closer eye on him by having Reines around to keep him in line. Despite how he seems, he's actually alright with having her for a Master and going along with what she says."

That made a certain amount of sense to Kairi. Archer was certainly one of the hot-blooded types who could easily be angered. There was no telling what would happen if he fought against someone he could get a rise out of him. From what he had seen, the Golden King most likely would give a second thought to harming civilians during a fight, which would then result in a conflict with Ruler and her Servant should such a scenario come to pass.

It was probably the reason as to why Waver called for that game between Lancer and Archer during their strategy meeting, which in turn lead to a rock-paper-scissors match, which by his observation was actually rigged.

"And to answer your second question Shishigou-san," Shirou spoke up as the sunglasses wearing mercenary looked at him. "There's also the fact that Archer refuses to participate in the fighting unless it's up close and personal. Trying to argue against him about it would be futile given his personality."

"Well that's not surprising."

"Indeed. And in case you were wondering, both Caster and Assassin aren't all that useful in a situation like this themselves, not without the necessary tools that is."

"Speaking of which, where are they?" Waver spoke out.

"Keeping watch from a distance further away from here." Shirou replied. "Assassin's familiars are relaying information directly to me, giving us real-time observation over the entire area. That should at least give us the element of knowing when and where the enemy will strike. If need be, I can even have her mobilize her Noble Phantasm. Though I believe it to be still too early to reveal such a trump card."

"And that just leaves us with him to look after us." Kairi commented with a sigh, gazing at Archer of Red. "Why do I get a bad feeling about this-"

***WHOOSH***

"...!?"

All looked to see a dagger being thrown directly at the youngest member of the Red Faction, the young blonde's eyes widening slightly as she saw the blade inches away from her face.

***CLANG***

The dagger was blown back. But not by Archer, the red-eyed blonde smirking slightly at the startled expression of his Master along with staring at her savior who was currently standing right in front of the duo.

Said savior was none other than Gray, a large scythe in her hands which she seemingly pulled out of nowhere.

"Are you alright?" She asked, concerned about the young head of the Archibald family.

"I'm fine, thank you Gray." The blonde replied as she calmed herself down.

Such a feat surprised Kairi greatly, he had never expected the quite looking girl to have such a thing on her person. Then again, considering his line of profession in life, he supposed it was only natural to assume the unexpected. And it looks like that he along with Shirou were the only ones surprised by the fact. From the looks of Waver and the young blonde, it gave off the impression that both knew about her weapon themselves.

 _'That scythe... there's something about it.'_ Shirou thought, but decided to keep such thoughts to himself for now as he was reminded of the current situation before them.

"That dagger...!" Waver began as realized who it belonged to. "Is it Assassin!?"

The last time he had fought during a Holy Grail War, he encountered a similar looking weapon that tried taking his own life in a similar manner. Could it have been the very same Servant as it was back then? What were the chances?

Looking towards the source, the members of the Red Faction saw a figure dressed in black with a skull mask making a break for it. They all realized that said person was indeed Assassin, as they were the only class that had the ability of concealing their presence without any of them knowing about it.

 _'So it was the same person...!'_ Waver began in his thoughts, but something was slightly off. Although their general appearance was the same, skull masks and black clothing, the one he had seen just now was shorter than the one he encountered back then. He wondered to himself what that meant.

"At last, something to entertain me." Archer said as he stood up, the sofa disappearing back into his treasury much to Reines' chagrin as she was still seating upon it, causing her to fall on her behind onto the ground beneath.

"Give me a little warning first...!" She complained as she rubbed her bottom.

"Watch over the little girl. I'm going hunting." Archer stated as he leaped after Assassin with both blades drawn.

* * *

"Hah!"

A strong horizontal swing from Lancer of Red sent dozens of enemies flying. Seeing that he had a moment to breathe, he sighed as he scratched his head.

"Damn, is this all these guys can do...?"

Looking behind him, he saw numerous corpses and remains of the Black Faction Army littering the area where he and his allies came from in order to get to the gate.

Most of it was actually his doing. While they did fight as well, Saber and Berserker basically charged through the main force as they headed straight for castle, not really caring much about their opponents all that much.

For a warrior such as Lancer, being a ignored during battle was a great insult. As such, he decided that he would at least give his human foes, as human as homunculi can get that is, the honor of dying by his hand. He believed that they deserve at least that much for standing against him and his comrades.

"Gah...!"

A homunculus cried out as Lancer stabbed him in the heart.

***SLASH***

Quickly, he bisected his foe as the green-haired spearsman sighed to himself. Despite his earlier belief, the battle quickly became rather one-sided when it was just him and the entire army going against each other. And that was a great bore to one such as him.

"Man, is there even anyone around who's able to give me a good fight?"

***BOOM***

Looking towards the source of the explosion, he saw his comrades fighting against the Servants of Black. Seeing this, he smirked as he hefted his spear over his shoulder.

"Heh! As if I'd let myself be left out of the fun!"

Deciding that he had done enough damage to the army that itself had suddenly begun retreating into different locations that surrounded the Castle, Lancer of Red made a beeline towards the chaos of his fellow Servants battling one another. Perhaps one of them may prove to be an entertaining foe for the night.

It was then that he heard an arrow being shot towards him, seeing the incoming object coming at him from above. Instead of deciding whether or not to intercept or dodge it, the green-haired spearsman merely smirked as he allowed the sharp object to hit him.

***SHNNK***

Staggering slightly in surprise, Lancer came to a stop as he stared blankly at the arrow that suddenly pierced his left shoulder. His eyes wide in shock at the protrusion stuck within his flesh. There wasn't any sign of pain on his face. Rather, it was filled with blank surprise. The green-haired spearsman couldn't even get a word out as two more flew towards him.

 ***SHNNK*** ***SHNNK***

Both shots pierced through his armor and skin. His interest piqued, Lancer quickly removed one of the arrows and gazed momentarily at it.

"This arrow..." Lancer began as a smile began forming on his face. "I recognize this craftsmanship anywhere, and this sensation too..."

Realizing that the person who shot the arrows must've been of divine nature, not too mention recognizing the design said arrows, the green-haired spearsman began laughing aloud.

"AHAHAHAHA! THIS IS GREAT! I DIDN'T THINK SOMETHING LIKE THIS WOULD HAPPEN!"

Looking up, his smile formed into a wild smirk as he saw who was responsible for shooting him. It was a person that he was able to identify at first sight.

After all, why wouldn't he be able to recognize his old teacher? The very person who taught him the skills necessary to be a hero?

Getting into a stance, a wild grin formed on his face as he cried out his master's name.

"MASTER CHIRON!"

With that, the legendary Greek hero known as Achilles charged into battle.

"A pro-active person as always. Why am I not surprised?"

Chiron merely smiled as he saw his former student quickly run towards his direction and began jumping up towards his level via the towers that were placed throughout the complex. The green-haired Archer deciding to take the chance to shoot him as he made his way up.

***SHNNK* *SHNNK* *SHNNK***

Once more, three arrows pierced Achilles' body, but the Servant of the Lance was not bothered by it at all. Rather, each blow only served to excite him more and more. Soon enough, he was now on top of the same roof as his former teacher.

***CLANG***

Pulling out a sword crafted for his use by Caster of Black, Chiron parried an incoming blow from his former pupil's spear. A rapid exchange of blows soon took place, all the while the former took shots at the latter.

***SLASH* *SLASH* *CLANG***

"Hahaha! It's been a long time hasn't it Master!? Who would've thought that we'd meet each other again in a place like this?" Achilles began.

"Indeed. Perhaps fate may have played a part in our reunion." Chiron replied. "Or perhaps it may just really be a coincidence. Who is to say?"

A casual exchange such as theirs could only happen between two fine warriors such as they. Proof of the latter could be seen from their duel alone as both parried and dodged every single attack either one would make.

"Who knows? All I know is..."

***CLANG***

Another collision of their weapons caused both to skid across the ground due to the sheer force.

"I'll be taking your head tonight!" The green-haired spearsman declared with the wild grin on his face growing bigger by the second.

As much as Achilles cared for and respected his former teacher, he was now Lancer of Red. A Servant fighting in the Holy Grail War. Personal relations no longer mattered to him at this point, he who was now merely a spiritual construct living on borrowed time. As such, he decided to enjoy his current life as much as he could, and being faced with the chance to do battle with his former teacher, how could he resist?

"Ahahaha... as straightforward as always I see." Chiron himself shook his head as he continued to smile at his former pupil. He hadn't changed all that much since he last saw him. He was hit with something of a nostalgic feeling as he saw this, flashing back slightly as he saw his old friend just getting started training under him.

Still, much like Achilles, he too had no problem in taking the life of his old friend for similar reasons. He quickly snapped out of his thoughts and focused his attention back to the situation at hand.

***CLANG***

As such, the battle between teacher and student had finally begun.

* * *

"Hah!" Two voices called out, one masculine and one somewhat feminine.

***CLANG***

In the skies above the Castle, the two Riders clashed with one another. One rode a chariot pulled by large black bulls covered in red armor, and the other rode a rather magnificent creature that was known by many as a hippogriff. Currently, the two flew beside each other all the while exchanging blows using their respective blades.

***CRACKLE***

Astolfo smiled as his mount momentarily got clear of his counterpart's chariot, dodging the sudden burst of lightning blasts. Thanks to flying rather close to his counterpart's chariot, there was a chance of the lightning generated by it as it moved hitting them. Luckily for the young paladin though, it didn't look like his counterpart he held much control over the ability as if he did, he would have already tried shooting him down with it or something. That, and he was able to tell when a sudden burst was about to begin, giving him time to at least get clear.

That said, he was really quite taken with the appearance of said chariot, finding it to be very interesting that such a vehicle would be able to fly despite it not having wings like his mount. Still, he could not allow his fascination to hold of him during this battle. He had people counting on him. As such, on his good name as one of the Twelve Paladins of Charlemagne, he would not fail them.

In his right hand held the spear he used to do battle while riding a mount. It was a large white spear that was ornately designed. He called it Argalia, named after the original owner, who was both a knight and a prince of a certain country, of which Astolfo had obtained it during one of the many escapades he went on during his life.

_'Now then...!'_

Tightly gripping his spear, he flew closer to his counterpart and hanged in an upside down position.

***CLANG* *CLANG* *CLANG***

Rider of Red quickly parried each attack the young paladin could muster while in such a state. Truthfully, the young paladin admitted to himself that he wasn't actually that good with a spear when compared to the likes of his ally Lancer or perhaps Berserker of Black. That said, he believed himself to still be a formidable enough foe when performing mounted combat.

Seeing that his attacks were not doing much effect, Astolfo returned to a normal flying position and suddenly spurred his mount to fly faster and it did so with haste. Moving past Rider of Red's chariot.

"Hah! We cannot allow ourselves to be outdone... HYAH!"

Spurring the divine bulls that pulled his chariot, the King of Conquerors gave chase.

"Hehe...!"

Without warning, the hippogriff had spread out its wings, causing it to momentarily stop and for the large man's chariot to have passed them. It was at that moment that Astolfo took the chance to jump onto the chariot itself, landing on top of one of the bulls.

"What...!?"

"Hah...!"

Balancing himself on the metal pole that separated the divine bulls from one another all the while grabbing onto one of them, Astolfo began an assault on the King of Conquerors using his spear.

Narrowly being stabbed, Iskander smiled as he once more countered. Though at such a close range, he could only do so much. As such, once he saw an opportunity, he took a chance and grabbed his foe's spear. Though such an act did cause the hand he used to perform the feat to start bleeding.

Seeing that the pinkette was stunned by his act, the larger man spoke.

"Forgive me my friend, but I ask you get off here!"

Using his body strength, the King of Conquerors tightly gripped the spear as he threw the young paladin off from his chariot.

Said throw didn't do much as the young paladin was quickly rescued by his mount. The latter then returned to flying normally once more as both Riders stared at one another intensely. It quickly ended as both broke out into smiles.

"You're not bad with a sword King of Conquerors." The pinkette stated. "You've managed to parry all my blows up until now."

"Hehe, it's not the first time I had to tangle up close and personal." Iskander stated as he eyed the foe's mount with a glint in his eye. "I must say, that is a rather magnificent beast. Might you tell me where you found such a thing and tamed it?"

"I don't remember it actually, I've been on a lot of adventures you see~" Astolfo stated with a hand behind his head somewhat embarrassed.

"Well that's too bad, I was thinking of getting one myself too." The large man sighed in disappointment before a smile once more formed on his face. "Oh well, I suppose I could just take yours instead. A much simpler solution wouldn't you agree?"

"Ah! You can't do that!" Astolfo pouted as he held onto his mount even closer. "This guy right here is my partner you see, so I can't let you have him even if you are a King. I am willing to lend him to you if you surrender to us that is~"

"Hahaha! I like you, you remind me of someone I once knew in life!" Iskander laughed. "Perhaps you'd be willing to join my army? I can promise you a high-ranking position if you do~"

"Ahaha~" The young paladin began laughing himself. "As flattered as I am King of Conquerors, I've already sworn myself as an ally to others. No matter what you promise me, I will not break their trust."

"Too bad then." The large man stated before thinking about something else. "Now that I think about it, I have yet to ask you of your name."

"Haha, don't you think that's something I wouldn't answer~?"

"Perhaps." Iskander began before smiling. "But I believe yourself to be a person who will answer when asked, no?"

Silently contemplating, the young paladin decided to answer since he was asked.

"I am Astolfo, the Twelfth Paladin of Charlemagne."

"Hoh? I did not expect for one referred to as the most handsome to look so much like a young maiden!"

"I think you may be the first one to ever get that correct the first time." Astolfo chuckled briefly. "Shall we continue our dance then?"

Not long after their conversation with one another, the two continued their bout in the sky.

* * *

Within a secure location inside the Yggdmillennia Castle were the sibling team of Fiore and Caules. The brother-sister duo were currently standing by as per Darnic's orders. The head of the clan believed that spreading out the Masters of Black throughout the castle would benefit them as should something breach the defenses from any side. With the use of the Command Seal, their Servants would be able to appear to their aide once it was needed.

Currently, the brother and sister duo sat together at a table, watching the ongoing fights as well observing the surroundings through several crystal balls that Caster of Black had conjured up for them. It also served as a means of communication between the members of Yggdmillennia.

"Are you nervous Caules?"

"Yeah, kinda..."

Fiore wasn't oblivious to the fact that her younger brother was afraid. She knew him better than anybody else after all. But as much as she wanted to say that he shouldn't be, she could not blame him. She too had fears of her own, but as the future head of the clan, she could not allow herself to show any form of weakness.

"It'll be alright." She began. "You should have faith in our Servants."

"You do have a point. Berserker would probably hit upside the head if she thought I was doubting her abilities." Caules stated as he leaned back on his chair while putting both hands behind his head, a crooked smile on his face.

Such a statement caused Fiore giggle slightly. Even in a situation like this, her brother found the ability to make rather humorous remarks.

"Hehe... Huh? Crap! It looks like Berserker's being pushed back!"

* * *

"RAAAAAAGH!"

"Tch!"

***SMASH***

Dodging an incoming strike, Elizabeth jumped to the side as Berserker of Red swung down hard on the spot where she had just stood. She cursed to herself as she found herself quickly being overwhelmed by her counterpart. It was the only natural result after all. She was a noblewoman for most of her life, not a fighter. All her battle skills could basically be summed up as her relying on her innate prowess as a Servant.

***SLASH***

A cut formed on her cheek as she once more narrowly avoided being beheaded by her counterpart. It was only one out of several. However, though she was bleeding, she felt no pain. That was due to the fact that she was summoned as a Berserker-Class Servant. Servants summoned under the class were granted the ability of _Mad Enhancement_ , but hers was rather low ranked and allowed her to retain her reasoning. All it did was slightly augment her strength and endurance, as well as removing her sense of pain.

However, the wounds on her body wasn't what was bothering the pinkette.

It was the fact that her counterpart had marred her beauty several times. And now he had marred her face... that was something she could not allow to stand!

"That's it!" She bellowed. "You'll pay for that you overcompensating oaf!"

Suddenly, a rather large pair of draconic wings sprouted from the pinkette's back.

* * *

"Oh my, I never expected her to have the ability to grow wings!" Fiore commented in slight awe.

"Same here. I was really surprised by it when she first showed it to me after her summoning." Caules added.

During her life, the girl known as Elizabeth Bathory actually lacked the claw-like fingernails, dragon horns, and tail. These were only attributes that would appear once she was summoned as Servant thanks to the skill _Innocent Monster_ , which would distort the appearance of a Servant due to their reputation. Her family was associated rather closely with dragons. And with her reputation during life, perhaps her appearance as a Servant was only natural.

With her newly spawned appendages, perhaps now the girl had a stronger chance against Berserker of Red.

* * *

***CLANG***

Berserker of Red quickly parried an incoming strike from his now aerial-born foe.

***CLANG* *CLANG***

Two more strikes as Elizabeth blitzed around her counterpart. She thought to her self that she should have just used this ability from the start. It certainly would have made her battle with Berserker of Red somewhat more easier for her to handle.

That said, her counterpart continued to block and parry any attacks she would try to strike him with. Perhaps it was time to try something different? An idea came to her mind as she began thinking.

She then remembered that she had the abilities of a dragon due to her heritage and appearance. With that, Elizabeth smirked as she got in close...

***CLANG***

Parrying a blow, she took the moment where her counterpart tried to collect himself and follow up and got in close. Floating right in front of his line of sight as she took a deep breath...

"HAAAAAAAHHH!"

And let out a loud roar of ultrasonic waves against Berserker of Red. Though similar to her Noble Phantasm, it could be considered a weaker and smaller version of it. That and she was basically letting out a loud yell, which was unlike where she was singing.

Not expecting such a thing, Berserker of Red was pushed back by the sound attack, and it looked as though he was being hurt by it before crashing into the wall that surrounded the Yggdmillennia Castle. The structure collapsed and buried Berserker of Red under a pile of rubble.

"Ugh... maybe I went a little far?"

Floating down slightly, Elizabeth surveyed the destruction she had caused. She was slightly hoping that Lancer would not scold her for this.

***BOOM***

"Wah!" She quickly dodged several flying debris that came from the pile that suddenly exploded. There, she saw Berserker of Red looking no worse for wear, causing the pinkette to click her tongue in annoyance.

"A real persistent man aren't you...? How vexing!"

She was answered with a Halberd being swung down upon her.

* * *

In contrast to the situation of the Servants of Madness...

"Damn it all...!"

No matter how hard she swung her sword, no matter how fast she would strike, Mordred found herself being pushed back by Saber of Black. The priest's mentioning of him being a powerful Servant was on the spot it seemed.

In terms of pure ability, she was outclassed. Blow after blow, move per move, she was parried and met with a counterattack each time. Whoever her opponent was, he was most definitely a hero of great legend.

"Hah!"

***CLANG***

An audible clang erupted between their blades as both Servants of the Sword skidded across the ground. Stabbing her blade beneath the earth where she stood, Mordred came to a stop as she glared viciously at Saber of Black.

As much as she hated to admit it, Saber of Black was perhaps someone as powerful as her father. That alone was a blow to her pride as it reminded her of everything that she wanted to be and hated at the same time.

If Saber of Black was truly someone equal to her father, then what did that leave her? Though she lacked skill and finesse in her sword play, she was still able to tell how strong a person was just by trading blows with them a few times.

And she knew, knew for a fact that during her last bout, her father was indeed holding back on her during their battle on that bloodstained hill. Her pride merely blinded her from realizing it that time. Only after gazing into his eyes during their reunion did she figure it out, and her trading blows with her counterpart only cemented it.

That resulted in her poising a question to herself...

If she could not defeat Saber of Black, whom she believed to be on equal footing to her father, what did that say about her? Did that mean she was really nothing more than a pretender who could not stand on the same level as the King of Knights?

 _'No... there's nothing I cannot defeat!'_ She shook her head.

Why on earth was she doubting herself!? Such foolishness should be above someone like her, for she was the child of King Arthur! The heir to his legacy and skill... there was nothing her father could do that she couldn't do just as well!

With that, the red knight tightly gripped her sword as she raised it above her shoulder. Suddenly, her helmet disassembled itself onto her armor. In doing, it caused the first step in the activation of her main Noble Phantasm as sparks of crimson lightning radiated from the blade as prana began gathering within it. That act caused her counterpart to quickly raise his guard.

 _"Oi Saber! Who gave you permission to use your Noble Phantasm?!"_ Kairi telepathically demanded, having sensed what his Servant was about to do.

 _"Hmph! As if not using it in this situation will benefit me."_ She responded. _"The one before me right now is an opponent I can no longer take lightly. As such, I shall respond to his strength with my full might!"_

"Prepare yourself Saber of Black! I shall be taking your head now!" The Knight of Treachery bellowed as her counterpart suddenly received a command of his own.

 _"Saber, I give you permission to use your Noble Phantasm."_ Gordes' voice echoed throughout his mind. _"Both Lord Darnic and Lancer have approved of its use. Show them how powerful you truly are, Dragon-Slayer Siegfried!"_

Hearing his Master give the command, Saber of Black responded by smiling and raising his own sword above his shoulders, the blade glowing a bright azure light.

* * *

Seeing the current situation unfold, Lancer of Black stood up from his throne as a long spear appeared in his hands.

"Darnic."

"Yes milord?" The blue-haired man asked, but he already knew what the answer was going to be.

"I leave everything here to both you and Caster." He stated. "I'm heading out to deal with our guests as well."

* * *

"Uwah~"

Stopping briefly in their duel, both Riders were momentarily awestruck by the sudden burst of light that was being emitted from the castle below. Astolfo was very much fascinated by the colors, finding the mixture of both crimson and azure to be a stunning sight to behold.

Iskander on the other hand had only one thing to say.

"Interesting, it looks like our friends of the sword below are about to go serious!"

"Wait, really!?" The male pinkette stated in brief panic. He could sense large amounts of prana gathering where the lights were coming from. He was starting to get worried about his allies. As such, there was only one thing he could at this point.

"Hang on Saber! I, Astolfo, shall aid you!"

With a mighty cry, the hippogriff flew towards the source of the light at a fast pace. Dive bombing to be exact as they darted past his counterpart who was slightly taken off guard by the action.

"Well that's rude, leaving me here by myself." The red-haired man stated with crossed arms before a smile broke out on his face. "Do not think I'll allow you to do such a thing just like that my feminine friend! HYAH!"

***CRACKLE***

* * *

There was a sharp contrast between the gathering of prana between Mordred and Saber of Black within their respective blades.

In regards to the former, her blade was glowing a crimson and the prana building up took the form of lightning that began to violently radiate from the blade as if it was ready to explode.

On the other hand, the latter's sword was the polar opposite. The prana building up was serene in its gathering, and the colors that represented it would remind one of both the sky. It was a stark contrast to the former. Whereas the former would cause fear, the latter would cause a sense of peace as ironic as an attack meant to destroy would even cause such a thing.

**"CLARENT..."**

Mordred swung her sword down with a mighty yell to the sky.

**"...BLOOD ARTHUR!"**

A trail of crimson lightning burst forth from the red sword, heading straight for Saber of Black. In response, the platinum hair colored male swung down his own sword.

**"BALMUNG!"**

For the first time in the Holy Grail War, the hero known as Siegfried spoke by crying out the name of the legendary dragon-slaying sword in his hands. The weapon which he had used to slay the dragon Fafnir. It was a battle where he had truly become a hero of legend.

Azure and Crimson, two different lights headed straight for each other, colliding. It was a struggle to see who would overpower who.

However, much like how they were gathered, there was a prime difference between how they both attacked as well.

Mordred's blast was a linear attack while Siegfried's attack was more spread out in comparison. Thus, despite him being far more powerful, the crimson lightning was able to power through the wave thanks to it being concentrated.

***BOOM***

* * *

"Hmm...?"

Seated atop a log within the forest that surrounded the city of Trifas, Archer of Red wiped his blade clean from the blood that covered it.

Beside him laid a body that laid in a pool of blood, one that was covered in all black which was slowly evaporating into black mist. Said body also had its head removed, which itself was currently perched on branch that Archer decided would make for a do hanging spot.

Currently, he was successful in killing off the rat that dare threatened to harm his Master. It was the only natural result. After all, one such as him would not lose to a rat so pathetic that he had to rely on stealth to perform his kills. Though he too knew of the value of stealth attacks, he held a distaste for those who decidedly used the method as a lifestyle. One look at his prey, he was able tell that type of life he had lived.

Soon after killing him though, Archer heard a rather loud explosion coming from the direction castle where the Black Faction resided at.

It was also at that moment that he decided to entertain the others who were hiding in the shadows.

"Continue to hide in the darkness if you wish. I will find and end you all as I have your friend here." He said, banging on the tree that held the severed head, causing it to fall on roll onto the ground. By that point, the body had already disappeared and was soon followed by its head.

"I believe you will have a hard time doing that, Golden King." A familiar voice cried out.

A soured look grew on Archer's face as he saw Ruler and the King of Knights appear from the shadows. Their armor now glistening under the moonlight causing a somewhat ethereal scene should one view as a third party.

"Ruler..." He sneered. No wonder he felt a strange sensation once felt their presence. "And why exactly have you chosen to appear before me?"

"I would like for you to hear me out on a matter I've been wishing to discuss with a member of the Red Faction." Jeanne stated, unfazed by the hostility coming from the Servant of the Bow.

Arthur on the other hand found the man before him to be rather troublesome. He would have preferred it if his Master hadn't chosen him to speak with and chose someone else, such as the man known as Waver Velvet whom they met during the first night. But he supposed it couldn't be helped. Much like with Black Faction, she once more decided to take a leap of faith.

"Hmph, and what makes you believe that I would listen to you? Such a request coming from the one who proclaims herself to be a Ruler when in reality you are nothing more than a mere peasant. It's laughable at best, insulting at worst for you to be here in front of me."

"Mine is nothing more than a title and symbol of authority as a mediator of the Holy Grail War." The young saint replied. "I am not a sovereign, and never have I ever proclaimed myself to be one."

"At least you acknowledge it." Archer stated while crossing his arms, though he was still displeased by the sight of the female blonde. "So then, why exactly have you decided to appear before me?"

"I would like to discuss with you about one of your comrades, King of Heroes." Jeanne began.

Hearing his title spoken, Gilgamesh, the legendary God-King of Uruk, decided to hear out what the young saint had to say to him.

"Do tell..."

* * *

"Man oh man... do I wish I could be there right now."

In the far distance outside the surveillance range of both Red and Black factions, a young woman watched the conflict between the two factions from atop a building. She had shoulder length blonde hair, part of which was braided on the left side of her face, and blue eyes. She wore glasses and a black themed female school uniform that wouldn't out of place in a Japanese high school.

Beside her was another individual who sat on the edge of the rooftop. He had messy blue hair that was long enough to be tied into a pony tail and red eyes. He wore blue and black clothes underneath a set of white armor that gave him a somewhat feral look. In his right hand and hefted onto his shoulder was a crimson colored spear of intricate design. From his appearance alone, one would be able to tell that he wasn't of this time period.

"Obsessed with fighting aren't you?"

"Of course I am, it's a lot of fun after all."

The female blonde eyed him curiously at that. Ever since the two of them began working together, she always found the blue-haired spearsman to both annoying and somewhat interesting.

"Say Lancer, now that I think about it, you never told me what your wish was."

"That's because I don't have any." He stated in a somewhat deadpan tone, as if it was the most obvious thing in the world. "A real hero wouldn't have a wish they want granted or something like that. Guys like me should be content with the life they've lived."

"I see..."

"What about you...?"

"Eh?"

"What's your wish? I mean you were chosen right? That means you'll have one of your own."

She hadn't thought about that yet. Truthfully, with everything that had happened up until this point, she was had yet to consider why she was chosen to participate in an event like the Holy Grail War. Her grandmother had told her of how frightening the ritual could be, of how many people would often get caught up in the grand ritual of the magi to reach to root.

Her grandmother told her that half-a-century ago, both her own father and sister had participated during one such event where her elder sister served as the Master, of the strongest Servant-Class no less. But even then, her grandmother's sister died during the conflict. After that, she swore to herself afterwards that she wouldn't have anything to do with the Holy Grail War anymore after what had happened.

"Hey, Ayaka...?"

"It's nothing." The blonde haired girl known as Ayaka stated. When she thought about it now, perhaps she was chosen merely because she wished to see what the Holy Grail War was like. All the tales her grandmother told her, her curiosity had been piqued.

 _'Still, even if I wasn't chosen... I couldn't leave this to chance. Not after what I've seen.'_ She thought. _'No matter if that person's goals are noble, if he's going to hurt a lot of people while doing it, I'll never forgive myself I just walk away from that!'_

Standing up, Ayaka gazed upon the battlefield once more. Reminding herself of the goal she set for herself that night. She was trying to find someone, but with just her and Lancer, she didn't exactly know where to start, especially in a foreign city such as this. Her first lead was the battle between the two factions which Lancer had sensed. But right now, she couldn't really get too close less they were detected.

_'If me and Lancer are going to stop him, then I'll have to meet up with this Ruler-Class Servant. Whoever they are, I just hope he or she will hear us out.'_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Fight scenes have never been my strong suit, you guys should already know that by now. So yeah XP That's why this chapter took as long as it did along with my general laziness getting the better of me. And I hope you guys enjoyed this. To me, this chapter was somewhat okay. But again, fight centric chapter, not exactly my thing XP I've also been reading this thing up and down checking for mistakes. If you guys see some, please point them out so I can correct said mistakes.
> 
> The battles are meh in my taste, but I feel story is more important than long ass fight scenes that can last a chapter, and I'm talking about fights between two people only and not various individuals like what I did here. Some of said fights can go thirty thousand words long. I mean, what the hell!?  
> Granted, I'm working to improve on this aspect of mine. Anyway, that's it for this time.


	8. Act I-8: Red vs Black II

If there was one thing Jeanne had to say about the man standing in front of her with his arms crossed and glaring directly at her with his crimson-colored eyes, it was that he was extremely prideful.

Given his identity, she suppose she couldn't judge him for it. The King of Heroes was one of the oldest figures, if not the oldest figure, in human history to be considered a hero. In a world where age was equivalent to power, one could say that he was indeed the most powerful being to ever live. It wouldn't be an exaggeration to say it, not with his capabilities that is. And from what she had seen during his battle with Berserker, that was only the tip of the iceberg as they say.

As such, she decided she would approach him as peacefully as possible, with her asking Arthur that he too behave.

And that led to their current predicament.

"Hoh? So you are here to tell me that you are accusing one of my allies of treason against myself and the others?"

"Not accusing, telling." Jeanne replied. "According to the information from the grail, one of the Masters from the Red Faction is responsible for the strange events that caused my summoning in the first place such as the rogue Servants."

That caught the attention of the Golden King, remembering the other night where he had fought the Black Knight. He still had a score to settle with him, but for now he focused his attention on the matter before him.

"Do you realize that there's one problem with that logic of yours woman?" Gilgamesh began, catching the young saint's attention. "You said it yourself, you received the information from the grail, the very same grail that is in the hands of the ones my Master and her allies call the Black Faction."

Seeing her freeze up slightly, he smiled as he continued.

"So tell me woman, how is it that you are sure about that which you received is legitimate in the first place? That it's just not a fabrication that the Black Faction themselves have created in order to turn you against us?"

"..."

Truth be told, even she wasn't sure of how to respond to that. There was always a nagging feeling in the back of Jeanne's mind that told her that perhaps the information given to her by the grail could perhaps been mistaken or even an outright lie forged by the Masters of Black in order to turn her attention at the Red Faction. However, she decided to ignore said feeling and decided to follow up on it since it was the only lead she had at the time.

However... when she had spoken with Lancer back at the Castle, she also felt like she could trust him. Not because he was a fellow believer in God like her, she had already met many people like that who were still her enemies on the battlefield, but because she felt like that despite his reputation and how he presented himself, Vlad the Impaler was above all else, a soul who believed in good.

Even if some of the actions he took in life were considered extreme or brutal, she doubted he would be part of a plot that could potentially endanger a great number of innocents. All it took for her to know that was just speaking with him. Even if the way he presented himself left much to be desired, she could still feel the noble soul hidden underneath.

As such, she was sure that he and his allies did not try to mislead her in any way. And so, she now knew how to respond to the Golden King's inquiry.

"No, I believe they wouldn't attempt such a thing." Jeanne began. "You forget something Archer. A Ruler-Class Servant is only summoned when the Holy Grail War's outcome could potentially endanger the world as a whole. You should know this by now. Your allies do, your enemies do, I doubt either side would wish harm on the entire world just for the sake of their wish."

"You are naive. You would do well to remember that evil exists within the hearts of all men and women in this world, and that humanity itself is a selfish lot by nature. Some would go to the darkest lengths to get what they desire." Gilgamesh stated.

He knew better than anybody else as to what lengths someone would go for just to get what they wanted.

"So too does people's capacity for good and selflessness exist. That is something you yourself cannot deny either King of Heroes." The female blonde stated resolutely, to which the Golden King merely gave her a look before huffing in annoyance.

"Hmph. Indeed, fools commit foolish acts that can either strengthen humanity or destroy it. I suppose it's merely a matter of how much either one would go far in the end." He mused.

Jeanne looked at him slightly confused. The way he had spoken that was as if he was remembering something from his past, but she couldn't be too sure due to the expression on his face being the same it was since he first gazed upon her. Which was an angry frown to be exact. She noted that unlike with Lancer, Archer of Red was someone more difficult to read though she already understood the basic nature of his being.

"So then, pray tell, name the one who you are accusing of having committed treason against us and thus broken the rules of this Holy Grail War."

"Does this mean that you are willing to hear us out on this matter?"

"Did I stutter?" Gilgamesh said annoyed. "If I asked for the name of the one you believe to be responsible for the strange events, then I believe the answer to be quite obvious. Or is it that I need to simplify my dialogue so that your mind can understand?"

Jeanne only let out a quiet growl. There was no need to be so rude was there? She was only reaffirming his intentions just to be sure.

Unfortunately, Arthur took the Golden King's words the wrong way as he spoke out.

"Continue to insult my Master Archer and you will have to deal with me."

"Hoh? So the so-called King of Knights is issuing a challenge to me?" Gilgamesh smirked. Ever since their first meeting, he had been wondering how powerful an opponent the Knight in front of him was. Just by looking at his sword, he could tell it was one of superb quality. No mere warrior would be able to wield such a magnificent blade. As such, he believed that perhaps Saber would be able to provide him some suitable entertainment should they fight.

"Stop it Saber! We're not here to fight remember?" Jeanne reprimanded, calling the Knight by his class name instead.

"I know that, but if he continues to act as he does, I have a feeling I won't be able to restrain myself any longer." Arthur replied.

If he were to describe the feeling he had right now, perhaps it could best be called as "Hate at First Sight". Though perhaps hate was too strong a word. That said, Archer's attitude just annoyed him to no end as brief as their interactions with each other have been. He respected him as a warrior after the night with Berserker, but other than that there was only the irked feeling he would get everytime he looked at the Golden King, likely being the result of his attempted attack on Jeanne. Yes, that was probably it.

"That's the spirit!" Gilgamesh praised with a wild grin. "Do not allow a mere woman to command you, one who calls himself a king. If wish to strike me down, then so shall it be! Though be warned that there will be consequences for making such an attack on the one true king of this world."

"That's laughable coming from you Archer. Have you forgotten that your Master is also of a woman?" Hearing that caused the Golden King's smile to sour as he gave off an annoyed growl.

"Though she may be a woman, Reines is a respectable one. As such, I don't mind following her orders." He then eyed Ruler with a smirk and glint in his eyes. "And until she fills out the way your Master has, she is but a child in my eyes."

Jeanne covered herself slightly in embarrassment, giving a look of disgust towards Gilgamesh in the process, as Arthur replied to his statement.

"That's not an excuse." He pointed out, together with Excalibur being directed at the Golden King's throat. "And turn your eyes away from my Master you fiend less I cut them out myself and burn them."

"Oh? I dare you to try then King of Knights."

Both men glared at each other for a good long minute, waiting for the other to make a move. They only snapped out of it when a voice called out to both of them.

"If you're both done, can we get back to what were discussing?" Jeanne spoke out in a somewhat weary tone. Hearing that, both decided to stand down for the time being but not before giving each other a glare, which was added by a smirk in the Golden King's case.

Seeing this only caused the young saint to sigh to herself. What was it with men and their need to pick a fight with others? Even those they barely knew? Even Gilles had been prone to such things and he was a gentlemen for most of the time they served their country together. At least, he was always presented himself as such whenever she was around that is.

"Fine then, what's the name of the traitor...?" The Golden King stated, and the blonde-haired girl spoke out.

"According to the Holy Grail, his name is Shirou Kotomine."

* * *

Dust began settling after Mordred and Siegfried's Noble Phantasms leveled the entirety of the front gate of the castle.

"Ugh... damn it all!"

There stood Mordred, her armor now somewhat dirtied and ragged thanks to the clash. Though her attack was able to overpower her opponent's due to it being more concentrated, the explosion caused by the impact was still strong enough to cause damage to herself.

But that wasn't what was upsetting her at the moment. It was the fact that her foe had survived her attack.

"You really should be more careful alright~?"

Looking up, she saw Saber of Black being carried from behind by Berserker of Black, the pinkette giving her comrade a rather sly look. The two of which were currently floating in the air thanks to the latter's ability to fly due to her dragon wings.

Just as he was consumed by the crimson lightning, Siegfried was pulled away from the blast by Elizabeth, the latter of which was able to temporarily shake off Berserker of Red for the time being and come to his aid. Still, the explosion caught them, and she would have been caught up in the attack as well, but since her comrade was in front of her when it hit, he took the brunt of it himself.

"My apologies, I underestimated the full extent of my opponent's power." Saber, or rather, Siegfried spoke in reply. Truthfully, he was somewhat embarrassed by it but didn't show it on his face. "However, now that I do know, the end result will now be different."

"Bastard...! Are you insulting me...?!" Mordred clenched her free hand into a fist while tightening the grasp she had on Clarent.

Siegfried also noticed something off about her. Just now when his opponent had spoken, he could hear faint gasps in between. Looking closely, he noticed that she was actually breathing in heavily. Though it didn't look she was injured all that much, something was troubling her physically. Perhaps using her Noble Phantasm proved to be quite taxing on her?

Mordred on the other hand was only thinking about what she should be doing next. She could try using Clarent once more, but she decided she should save a second blast for another time as using twice in a row may end up affecting her ability to perform well. Clarent Blood Arthur was an attack that caused her great pain everytime she used it.

Luckily for her though, her Master was a competent enough magi. Using it once only made her somewhat tired but strong enough to put up a fight if she had to. She only needed a moment to catch her breath before her fatigue would go away. However, using it twice in a row would probably pushing her luck, and she decided not to test that right now, not in the situation she was in at the moment.

In contrast to her however, Saber of Black looked no worse for wear. Other than his armor looking slightly singed and broken thanks to the blast, he looked to be okay enough to continue the battle despite taking the brunt of the explosion.

 _'Just what the hell is he...!? This just like that time with Lancer...!'_ She thought. Though Berserker of Black's aid may have factored into it, but she was sure her attack made contact with him! So why was it that he seemed okay!?

* * *

"It looks like that charm you gave Saber earlier worked to his advantage." Darnic commented as he and Caster observed the ongoing events through the latter's crystal ball.

"Truthfully, I initially thought that it would have been a waste of time." Caster replied. "The great hero Siegfried was said to have been an invincible hero during life, with his only weakness being a specific spot on his back. Giving him a charm that would make his defenses even stronger than what it already is seemed like a fruitless endeavor, but now I see that it was not."

She noted that Saber of Red was quite powerful in her own right. Had her attack connected without her protection charm, she doubted that Saber of Black would have been as alright as he was right now. Perhaps he would have been still capable of fighting afterwards, just not looking as pristine as he did at the moment.

Either way, she proved herself to be something of a threat. That said, she was also rather beautiful and cute looking. Once her helmet came down, Caster had not expected that someone so violent and hot-blooded as the blonde to look like that. Then again, considering who her father was, perhaps she shouldn't be surprised. Though she had a distaste for men due to her past, she had to admit that the King of Knights was rather handsome.

She found it a shame that he was part of a neutral party alongside his daughter being part of the opposing team. Though in the latter's case, she had the ability to perhaps get her to fight alongside her and her allies.

Caster continued to ponder to his idea within her mind as she continued to observe what was happening outside.

* * *

"RAAAAAAAAGH!"

With a mighty roar, Berserker of Red leaped into the air as he was poised to strike both Saber and Berserker of Black.

***CLANG***

"I don't think so my raging friend!"

Appearing from the sky on his hippogriff, Astolfo threw his spear at Berserker of Red, causing a direct hit as the Servant of Madness was blown back by the unexpected assault from the young paladin. Berserker quickly recovered from his stupor and landed right beside Mordred.

"Saber, Berserker, are you both alright~?" The male pinkette asked as both he and his two comrades landed on a spot a distance away from their two foes. "I saw what happened and came as soon as I could, but it looks like I didn't need seeing as you both look fine to me."

"We're both fine, there's no need to fret my friend." Siegfried replied as Astolfo looked up in wonder. This was the first time he had heard Saber speak. To be honest, he sounded just like what he imagined him to be.

"Speak for yourself!" Elizabeth stated in annoyance, gesturing to her wounds. "That oaf has violated my beautiful smooth skin... He's going to pay for that with his life!"

"Oh my. Well I suppose we can collect on that debt now~" Astolfo stated with a smile as he glanced back at the other two on the field, who were now just joined by the King of Conquerors himself as he landed beside them.

"So then... should we now turn this into a team battle as this war is supposed to be fought as?" The large man said as he grinned. The thought of a three-on-three battle between him and his allies versus the Servants of Red excited him somewhat. It reminded him of one of the reasons he liked riding into battle with his army during his life, as there was an undeniable thrill that one would feel during such an event that even pacifists probably couldn't ignore themselves.

***BAM***

Looking up, all saw a blur of green and black shoot past them and crash into right into a pile of debris next to the Servants of Red. Continuing with their gaze, they saw Lancer of Red standing up while dusting himself off and cricking his neck.

"Damn... you're as tough as I remember you Master!" He spoke out as Chiron landed on the ground beside his allies with a smile on his face.

"All that I am is a result of my training, the very same training that I applied to you as well, Achilles." Hearing his name spoken out caused the others to look on in surprise, especially Mordred as she understood as to why she was unable to harm him during that one spar they had with each other.

"That it is...!" Twirling his spear, Achilles got into position once again, not at all bothered that his identity was revealed. "Ready to continue?"

No words were spoken as Chiron got into stance and aimed his bow at his former disciple, the action of which also cued in everyone else to ready themselves for the second bout to begin. A moment of silence passed as neither side made a move.

Said silence was finally broken by the arrival of another onto the field.

The doors to the castle behind the Servants of Black slowly opened. There stood a man with pale hair and skin wearing black clothing. A spear in his hand of unique design. There was only person he could be and who would appear at a time like this.

Lancer of Black...

"Hoh? So you finally show yourself eh Lancer? It's about time you showed your cowardly face. And if I must say, you already look like a dead man." Mordred was the first to speak up, and she spoke in a tone of polite mockery.

"It's a pleasure to meet you as well Saber." Vlad replied, ignoring the obvious attempt at goading him. "I must say, I'm impressed with the fight you and your allies have put up. Truly, all of you are heroes worth your name and reputation."

"Of course we are! It's the reason why we're all called Heroic Spirits after all!" Iskander boasted with a grin on his face. "Now then, I assume you wish to join in on the fun Lancer? Or do you perhaps wish to surrender to us?"

"I'm afraid I have no intentions of surrendering to you and your allies King of Conquerors." The Servant of the Spear replied once more. "However, I am willing to accept the surrender of your group instead. Those who do will be treated amicably and those who don't will meet the end of my spear."

"Hahaha! I'm afraid that won't be possible my friend, for I intend to take my conquest beyond that of the grail and towards the grand stage that is our world." The larger man declared. "As such, surrender is not possible for one such as me."

"Hmph, in other words you wish to conquer the world." The pale-haired man stated. "Why is that I am not surprised?"

"Well it's in my title after all." Iskander pointed out.

"Indeed. Then I suppose talks are now at an end." Vlad said as he tightened the grip he had on his spear. He looked at his allies and they all immediately understood. Saber and Archer were to remain with him while Rider and Berserker were to chase after any who tried to escape.

Seeing that he was about to ready himself, Iskander said one thing that was loud enough that all his allies could hear.

When he makes a move, get on...

Before Mordred and Achilles could even ask what he meant by that, she was cut off as Lancer stabbed his spear into the ground.

**"KAZIKLI BEY!"**

***SHNNK* *SHNNK* *SHNNK***

"Wha-!?"

The earth suddenly broke apart as hundreds of spears and stakes suddenly pierced through it aiming for the Servants of Red. Taken off guard, Mordred was unable to react properly when one appeared below her.

"Coming through! HYAH!"

Grabbing Mordred by the collar, Iskander threw her onto his shoulder and spurred his chariot into action as lightning burst forth from the divine bulls, stomping through the stakes that tried to pierce them as they flew into the sky.

"Hey! Who asked you to do that?!" The blonde-haired knight demanded as she glared at the King of Conquerors. The way she was saved right now made her feel like she was being treated like a helpless damsel! That was an insult of the highest degree for someone like her!

"Yell at me later! For now we stay clear from being stabbed!" The large man stated in response as he observed the ever growing amount of stakes and spears the suddenly rose from out of nowhere the moment Lancer stabbed his spear into the ground.

"What!? What about those two!?"

***SLASH* *SLASH***

Currently, Achilles and Berserker of Red were slicing their way through each stake aimed at them. The former of the duo not even feeling anything from the stakes that did make it through thanks to his invincibility and the latter just swatting away anything because he was... well, Berserker.

"As if I'm running away from something like this!"

"RAAAAAAAAAAAAAGH!" Both men bellowed out into the night sky.

"Those two will be fine! Worry about our friends in the sky!"

Hearing that, Mordred looked around and saw Rider of Black and Berserker of Black chasing after them.

"Damn it, with such limited room, this may prove difficult even for someone like me!" Mordred pointed out. Since both she and Rider of Red were standing in the limited space that was his chariot, there wasn't much room to maneuver herself in order to attack, especially since she was a swordsman and not a bowman.

"Hehe, think your father could do better than you?"

"What?!" Smirking as he heard her reaction, Rider knew that the mere mentioning of her father and a comparison to him would spur her into action.

"Haha! What do you think the King of Knights would have to say should he see you fretting over your situation like this?"

Mordred could only respond to him with a glare, clearly angered by the implication that her father would be able to do better than her in this situation where she herself was worrying about the situation. As much as she wanted to stab the King of Conquerors for the insult, she held herself back and focused her attention back towards their two pursuers.

"What should we do about them?"

"First we put some distance between ourselves and Lancer." Rider began. "That ability of his has a one kilometer radius. Outside of it, he can't summon those things to stab us to death with."

"And you know this how?"

"I read the file!" The large man grinned as he noted that they should have been far enough by now. He then spurred the bulls to fly upwards. "Now then, when I give you the signal, jump!"

"What!? What do you mean by-!?"

Turning about in a way that could've caused whiplash for some, the King of Conquerors grinned wildly as he charged their pursuers head on. Looking back and forth between them and their opponents, she realized what the large man was planning as she formed a grin of her own.

"Alright then, I'll listen to you this one time Rider!" She declared. "Don't let it go to your head!"

"Haha! That's the spirit!"

On the other hand, on Black Servant's side...

"Should we be this far out from the castle?" Elizabeth questioned as she sat behind her ally on his mount. Though she had the ability to fly, she wouldn't have been able to catch up to Rider of Red's chariot on her own. Thus, she decided to hitch a ride upon the young paladin's hippogriff. That, and she really wanted the chance to be able to ride such a wondrous beast. This was the first time she had seen such a thing with her own eyes!

"Who knows~?" Astolfo replied. "All I know is that we're going to keep them busy while Lancer and Archer take care of our friends back at the castle.

It was then that both saw the chariot they were chasing suddenly turn about and heading straight for them.

Seeing what was coming, Astolfo and Elizabeth quickly avoided being rammed by the chariot, both stopping mid-flight as they saw observed what Rider of Red was suddenly doing.

"What was he thinking? As if ramming us like that would have worked!"

"I agree... Huh!? Berserker, watch out!"

"Huh? WHAT THE-!?"

***CLANG***

With an audible sound, Saber of Red fell and crashed into Berserker of Black with her weapon poised. Luckily enough for the female pinkette, she was able to react just in time and parry the blow with her spear. However, said action caused by the former resulted in the latter falling off from her spot behind the young paladin.

"Yo Berserker! Shall we dance!?" Mordred declared as she held on tightly to her opponent, in the process preventing her wings from spread out and thus causing both of them to fall down to the earth below.

"We can't dance in the sky you idiot!" Elizabeth retorted as she struggled to release herself. "Let go of me you damn tomboy princess! Girls shouldn't even have this level of strength in them! Especially someone as small as you!"

"Hah?! What was that?!" Did this bitch just call her a "princess" of all things?!

Seeing what was happening, Astolfo motioned to rescue his friend, but was cut off when he was suddenly cut off from doing so thanks to Rider of Red's interference.

"Not so fast my friend, we still have to finish our bout from earlier wouldn't you agree?"

"Hehe, I suppose that's true. " The young paladin stated with a crooked smile. It looks like he would just have to have faith in Berserker's own abilities being able to pull her out from her current predicament.

And so, the battle between the Servants of the Mount resumed.

* * *

"This is the best humanity had to offer...?"

Inside the castle, Julian Ainsworth stood by a window that overlooked the battlefield. While he was impressed by the abilities of the Servants, he was off put by some of the personalities, with Rider of Black and Berserker of Black being his two prime targets. The former was very much a happy-go-lucky fool while the latter on the other hand was something of a spoiled brat.

Still, he noted that they were useful when they were needed. That said more about them compared to others who were similar.

_'Continue fighting on as you wish, nothing shall change the fact that we are the ones destined to win...'_

Suddenly, Assassin appeared before him while kneeling. Julian looked her over as his mind began thinking about his Servant.

Though to be precise, it was Servants in a sense. His Servant's identity was Hassan-I-Sabbah, but not the original, just one out of the nineteen people in history who took his name. The Hassan that he summoned was one who mastered a great deal of skills and learned various forms of study in order to help with his profession. However, in doing so, he ended up creating various split personalities within himself in order to contain the knowledge he had gathered within his mind.

This would later end up manifesting as Assassin's Noble Phantasm, Zabaniya: Delusional Illusion, which granted him the ability to manifest as over eighty different people at the same time. A very useful ability for those who wish to deceive and observe their enemies with numbers.

"Master, I have news to report." The Assassin before him stated, this one in particular being a female with dark blue hair who called herself by no name. In order to differentiate her from the others, Julian decided to call her Asako. It was derived from Assassin and the Japanese habit of adding "-ko" to some girl's names, the latter of which he learned while studying in the backwater country of the east.

He wondered to himself why he even did that, but perhaps was being influenced by a certain someone he knew. Said someone came from the oriental nation where he studied, so maybe that had something to do with it. Either way, he decided to ignore his thoughts and focus the matter before him.

"Go right ahead."

"One of our counterparts has fallen."

"What?" He said, an incredulous look on his face.

"It seems like he encountered the enemy Masters, and brashly decided to take a chance in order to kill one of them only to be caught and executed by Archer of Red." She explained as Julian merely sighed.

"Serves him right. Honestly, such fools are worthless to me in this war." He stated as Assassin spoke up.

"To be precise, Lord Darnic ordered us to find out the whereabouts of the enemy Masters."

"Do not try to shift the blame of his failure to others. And Darnic ordered to find out the location, not attack did he not?" He retorted. "Tell the other Assassins to never engage the enemy without _my_ permission unless absolutely necessary."

With that, Assassin nodded and disappeared back into spirit form. It was only then that something came to Julian's mind as he smirked slightly.

"However, we may be able to use this to our advantage. With him dead, the Red Faction will believe that a Servant has finally been taken out. That should give us the element of surprise along with increasing our surveillance capabilities. Perhaps I should be thanking him instead, hehehe...!"

It was then that Julian's cell phone suddenly began ringing in his pocket. Though he like many other magi held a distaste for modern technology, he knew enough that such inventions had their uses. Thus, he decided to keep a phone in his pocket for the times where he needed to communicate with someone through non-magical means, especially after one of his allies insisted on it.

Taking it out, he looked to see who it was and widened his eyes when he saw who was calling. Immediately, the young man answered it.

"What is it?"

...

"He wants me to do what?"

...

"Very well then, I'll see to it." The young man hanged up and made his way through the castle.

* * *

Back to the two Servants of Red, the duo were currently fending off Lancer of Black's assault.

***SLASH* *SLASH***

Both Achilles and Berserker of Red quickly moved about the battlefield avoiding stakes upon stakes upon stakes that rose from the ground aimed at them. And in the former's case, aimed directly at his heel. Given that Lancer of Black now knew of his identity, he wouldn't have been surprised if decided to keep aiming for the one spot that caused his own downfall in life.

"RAAAAGH!"

"Hahaha! Is that the best you've got!?"

That said, Lancer of Black's attacks was merely inconveniencing the two warriors as they moved about.

"I see that your student is quite the battle maniac." Vlad commented while glancing at Chiron, who merely smiled in response, before turning his gaze back towards the two warriors before him. As expected, Lancer of Red was quite agile. With his given identity, it was not that surprising. What surprised him even more though was that Berserker of Red was incredibly agile for someone of his size.

Much like his fellow Servant of Red, the mad warrior was easily cutting through and avoiding the stakes aimed at him as he moved. And said movements were not those of what one would expect from an insane warrior, but from an ace of combat.

 _'How magnificent...!'_ Vlad thought. Though they were enemies, had to give the two Servants of Red the respect due to them. Had they not been on opposing sides, he would have liked to have them as his allies. It was a shame they had to die.

"Archer." Vlad began as he gazed slightly towards his ally.

"Yes." Knowing what Lancer was about to say, Chiron nodded as he aimed his bow at his former pupil.

***SHNNK* *SHNNK***

***SLASH***

"Hah!" Not losing a beat, the green-haired spearsman struck down the incoming projectiles aimed directly at him all the while continuing to evade the numerous stakes directed towards his heel.

"It's gonna take a lot more than this to kill me Master!" Achilles called out before grabbing a broken stake and throwing it directly at his former Master.

Chiron merely tilted his head as the piece beamed past him and burying itself into a wall. Smiling, he saw Achilles leap high into the air and poised to strike him directly.

***CLANG***

His attack was intercepted by Saber, the latter of which had just recuperated enough to take part in the battle once again. Taking advantage of Lancer's surprise, Siegfried used everything he had and threw a hard punch directly at the Hero of Troy.

While it didn't result in any damage, it was strong enough to send the green-haired spearsman flying into a wall. Once he recovered, Lancer of Red grinned wildly at the two.

"Hahaha! I'll take the both of you on!"

Seeing that both Archer and Saber were taking care of Lancer of Red, Vlad turned his attention towards Berserker of Red was now currently standing right in front of him.

A large imposing figure, he noted that the Servant of Red right before him was someone who was greatly feared in life. The amount of destruction he witnessed Berserker perform, his general battle prowess, and the state of his madness all confirmed it for Lancer. Judging from his armor and general appearance, he was able to deduce that Berserker was a man born in the far east, perhaps in the country known as China or Japan.

"It seems that you are my opponent." The pale-haired man began. "Isn't that right, Berserker?"

The larger man only responded by swinging his halberd. Seeing, this Lancer parried the incoming blow before leaping back and raising his hand forward.

***SHNNK* *SHNNK* *SHNNK***

Several stakes quickly rose from the ground aimed directly at Berserker's vital spots. Seeing this, the Servant of Madness twirled his massive weapon around himself as he destroyed all incoming dangers aim directly at him.

Several soon turned to a dozen, then turned to a hundred. It didn't look like Berserker was tiring out at all.

"RAAAAAAAAAAAAGH!"

"Hmph!" Seeing getting close, Lancer began parrying blows with the Chinese warrior. Combining his own martial prowess and his ability to summon stakes from the ground, Vlad the Impaler displayed a great amount of skill as he held off the Servant of Madness.

Meeting him blow per blow though, it was a tougher experience than what Lancer expected it to be. Quickly, he summoned more and more stakes from all around his foe in order to pierce him.

A futile effort as the latter's reaction speed allowed him to dodge each attempt at stabbing him. Despite how he appeared, a tactical mind was hidden underneath all his rage and insanity. Berserker would not allow himself to struck in any form due to his Master's orders. As such, his body instinctively performed to its very best in order to avoid any sort of damage.

"RAAAAGH!"

***SLASH***

"Tch...!" Lancer leaped back once more as he narrowly avoided being beheaded. He would need to end this soon less Berserker get the better of him. Leading him to an open space, the pale-haired man readied himself with a single thought going through his mind.

_'Let's see him cut these down!'_

Stakes were once more raised from the ground. This time, they were not in the hundreds, but within the thousands. Despite his skill, Berserker was quickly surrounded and encased in a cone of them.

***BOOM***

It was not meant to be. The mad warrior blasted apart his imprisonment much to Lancer's shock. There stood Berserker with his weapon in a different form compared to what he just saw. Earlier, it was a Halberd. Now, it was in the shape of a bow.

A bow which the mad warrior then aimed at his opponent...

"RAAAAGH!" He roared as he energy began gathering at its tip, and the Servant of the Lance quickly deduced that it was Berserker's Noble Phantasm. Readying himself, he was about to summon more stakes when he noticed something.

So focused on his opponent, the Servant of Madness failed to notice several constructs heading straight for him.

"...!"

Unable to react in time, golems grabbed onto Berserker and rendered him unable to move due to their combined might. Seeing an opportunity, Lancer made his move.

***SHNNK***

Stakes rose from the ground and impaled the mad warrior in the gut. It didn't stop there, as once more the Servant of Madness was encased in a cone of stakes together with his captors. Lancer then smirked and motioned his fingers one last time.

***SHNNK***

"RAAAAAAAAAAAAAAGH!"

The sound of flesh being impaled multiple times in a row echoed from the spot where Berserker was trapped, a loud roar coming from the Servant of Madness as light from the moon shined brightly upon the castle.

* * *

"That went well I suppose."

Walking back towards the sight of the main battle, Jeanne pondered the result of the meeting they had with the King of Heroes.

"Are sure this was a wise move?" Her partner asked. He doubted that the Golden King was part of the group responsible for events going behind the scenes of the Grail War due to his reaction to the Black Knight. What he saw then was genuine anger, and he knew that the King of Heroes would most likely try to eliminate the Black Knight once he saw him again.

"Perhaps not, but I guess we'll find out soon won't we?" She replied.

After revealing the name of the suspected traitor, the young saint asked that the Masters of Red take caution with him. The King of Heroes on the other hand merely laughed off her concern and said that should that none would be able to threaten him. Truly, his arrogance knew no bounds. But that was to be expected of someone like him.

At any rate, Gilgamesh agreed to keep an eye on him on the condition that Ruler was to remove the Command Seals that she had which held dominion over him. When asked that, she quickly retorted that she could not do such a thing. Because of her response, the Golden King replied that he would make no promises and left.

Sighing, she hoped that he would continue to do so in spite of what he said. For now, she needed to focus her attention back to current events such as the battle that was ongoing between Red and Black Factions. A good amount of time had passed since it all began. So far, she had sensed nothing that required her and Arthur to take action. And that was something of a relief as that meant that there was

"Jeanne." She stopped in her tracks when Arthur suddenly laid a hand on her shoulder.

"Hmm? What is it?" The young man merely pointed his finger upwards, causing the saint to look up into the sky.

There, she saw something falling down. Said something was a combination of pink, black, and red. Said combination were none other than Berserker of Black and Saber of Red, the former of which having successfully released herself from the latter's grip on her.

***BOOM***

An audible sound, Mordred landed right in front of the duo, the strength of the force at which she landed caused a crater to form. Dusting herself up as she stood, she shot an angry glare at Berserker of Black who was currently floating in the air thanks to her wings.

"Hey you! I dare you to call me a princess again!"

"What? Aren't you one? I mean, isn't your father King-" Elizabeth began but was cut off by the Knight of Treachery.

"He's got nothing to do with this!" She yelled again in response as she pointed her blade at the pinkette. "Call me a princess again and I will end you life very slowly!"

She then felt something off. It was only then that Mordred noticed both Jeanne and Arthur standing right behind her, with both blondes sporting rather incredulous looks on their faces as they witnessed what just happened. Clearly, the latter of the duo did not expect to see her like this. She too was frozen slightly in shock as she also had the exact same thoughts.

"Why are you here...?" The Knight of Treachery demanded, directing Clarent at the duo. Seeing this, her father narrowed his eyes at her giving her a hard stare.

"Calm yourself before you do something you regret." Arthur replied, his tone somewhat scolding. "Do remember that myself and my Master are a neutral party in this Holy Grail War whose role is to ensure that a certain amount of order is held during it."

"Tch, I suppose you are." Mordred clicked her tongue while turning her attention back towards her flying opponent. "If that's the case, then stay out of this!"

"I never intended on interfering." The white knight replied, causing Mordred to scowl even more. A scowl that was unseen by the former but not by his Master who was frowning at the two, not liking the tense atmosphere between parent and child.

...!

"Ah! A Servant has just disappeared...!" Jeanne suddenly cried out, catching the attention of all those present.

"What!? And which Servant is that!?" Mordred demanded.

"It was... Berserker of Red." She revealed, causing Mordred to flinch slightly.

Having lost him, that meant that the Red Faction was now one Servant short of their total fighting strength. Berserker had proven himself to be quite a fierce warrior too, something that even she respected him for. Did someone like Lancer actually take him down?

"Haha~! I knew uncle could do it!" Elizabeth cheered, childishly sticking her tongue out at her blonde foe just to rub the fact in her face.

"Don't get a big head! You still have to deal with me!" The red knight retorted as she aimed her sword at Berserker of Black, not taking kindly to her insults. Seeing this, the latter also got into a fighting position as the other two present began distancing themselves for what they believed to be the beginning of a fight.

 _"That's enough Saber."_ Mordred froze when she heard the call of her Master's voice.

"Hah...!? What do you mean that's enough!?" She yelled aloud, causing the other three to pause and look at her confused.

 _"El-Melloi is calling for a retreat for now."_ Kairi began. _"After losing Berserker, he doesn't want anymore casualties on our side unless he can help it. He already ordered both Rider and Lancer to come back to the hideout with us."_

_"Then let me at least finish this! Allow me to even the score!"_

_"No need, Archer took down Assassin earlier when he tried to jump us, so that already makes us even with them."_ Her master explained, causing Mordred to frown at the mention of the Golden Servant. Whoever he was, she didn't like him. It wasn't just because he called her a little girl, but something else. Something which she couldn't explain very well at the moment.

 _"Tch... alright then. As you say Master."_ She complied telepathically as she turned her back on both her opponent and the other two present.

"Hey! I thought we were going to fight!" Elizabeth called out.

"My allies have called for a retreat, so be grateful that you won't have to face me." She stated, before turning to look at her father. "I will settle things with you some other time. Do not forget it."

Arthur didn't respond as she disappeared into spirit form. Afterwards though, he only sighed as his mind began thinking.

_'Well, I suppose I should have suspected as much...'_

"If that's the case, then I'll be heading back too." Berserker of Black stated as she flew off into the sky, waving a little goodbye to the two blondes. Jeanne stared after her for a few moments before turning to face Arthur who was looking rather moody once more. Seeing this, she laid a comforting hand on his shoulder and smiled.

"Let's look around the area before we head home shall we? I would like to make sure nothing is left that would prove the existence of the Holy Grail War to the people." She said, causing the young man to look at her and smile back at her in response.

"Of course, just lead the way."

With that, the duo went on their way.

* * *

"Aw~! It's over already...?"

Inside a cave and seated upon a pile of skeletons, a blonde-haired little girl watched the events unfold and end at Yggdmillennia castle through a crystal ball. A pouting expression on her face that showed her annoyance at seeing her entertainment for the night had ended.

"Oh well, I suppose things played out well enough." She said. Things were a lot more different now compared to the Grail War she fought in. Fourteen Servants, even she hadn't thought about the possibility of such a thing. There were a lot more interesting Servants running about too. Such as the one known as Rider of Black who looked like a girl despite being a boy. She found him to be quite entertaining.

"Still, none of them could compare to Saber. Ah, my prince~!"

Fantasizing about the white knight, the little girl began rolling herself across the ground like a lovesick maiden. Had she done so in any other location other than a cave filled to the brim with skeletons, perhaps one could call the sight adorable.

"But, those two girls..."

She stopped rolling about and sat up with a half-lidded look on her face as her mind began thinking about Ruler and Saber of Red. Thinking about both caused the little girl to smile to herself as she laid back down with her arms spread out.

"I suppose I can let them play around with Saber a little bit since it looks he's fond of them both. It would be bad if I hogged him all to myself~"

Grabbing a skull that was close to her hand, she brought close to her face and began speaking to it as though it were alive.

"Besides... when everything is set and done, he'll come back to me eventually... Ahahaha~!"

The sweet laughter of a little girl echoed throughout the cavern, the laughter of a girl named Manaka Sajyou, the very same girl who had been stabbed in the back and left for dead by her most beloved Servant all those years ago...

* * *

"Looks like the fighting's over." The blue-haired Lancer mused as gazed at his Master. "Where she should we be heading next?"

"Who knows?" Ayaka replied, adjusting her glasses slightly. "I was hoping to meet Ruler tonight, but I don't know where she is. I think she would have been somewhere near where the fighting was taking place, but if we get close to the castle, then the Black Faction may mistake us for an enemy and attack. And I can't go to the Red Faction either considering that he's there."

"Speaking of which, you sure this Ruler is even going to listen to us?"

Lancer had a point. Just because Ruler was the mediator for the Holy Grail War, it didn't mean there was a chance of he or she helping them out. Legitimate speaking, that person was part of the Holy Grail War. Meaning that there was a chance that because of that, there could have been a chance that Ruler would not make a move until after he or she is convinced of the threat that person represented to the world.

"I don't know either. But they're the best person we've got in stopping that person from making his wish come true." She sighed to herself. "But, if worse comes to worse, I guess we'll just have to fight this one by ourselves."

She slightly dreaded the idea. Even if she readied herself for such an event, what were the chances of her and Lancer succeeding if that were the case?

"Fine by me. I think I like the idea of being the underdog in a big fight." Her Servant grinned happily, causing Ayaka to roll her eyes at the blue-haired man standing right beside her. Her Servant really was entertaining the idea wasn't he? She could see it in the look on his face.

"You would like that wouldn't you? Idiot."

"Haha!"

Soon enough, the duo left the rooftop by leaping off it with Ayaka being carried in Lancer's arms. Given their circumstances, it was better to be on the move than remain any longer after all.

_'Now then, what should we be doing next...?'_

* * *

Back inside the throne room, the Masters and Servants of Black were all gathered together as Lancer spoke.

"Well done everyone. We have successfully driven off the invaders from our land tonight." He declared with the tone of the sovereign that he once was. "And aside from losing one of our Assassins to the enemy, all Servants are ready and accounted for. On that, I praise you all and call this night a victory!"

It truly was a cause for celebration. Not one of them had died, and the enemy had lost Berserker of Red. Having lost a powerful ally, the Masters of Black were sure that the Red Faction was greatly decreased in their fighting capability. Knowing that, how else would they react other than one of happiness? Even Gordes and Celenike, who Caules found to be both tense in their own ways, were both smiling.

"But of course, was there any doubt?" The latter commented as her smile turned into a smirk.

"You didn't do anything though~" Astolfo pointed out, causing the grey-haired woman to glare at him. Such a scene only caused Caules to chuckle quietly to himself along with Elizabeth, Chiron, and his sister.

"I must thank you for the assist Caster." Vlad said to the hooded woman who stood beside Roche. "Without you, Berserker would have taken longer to deal with."

"I wasn't responsible for those golems Lancer." Caster replied as she gestured to the only non-member of Yggdmillennia. "Assassin's Master took control of a few that were already beaten but functional and made them act according to his will."

"Is that so?" Lancer glanced at the young man known as Julian. "Well then, I suppose I should be thanking you then young man. Without you, victory against Berserker would have taken me a bit longer than it already had."

"Think nothing of it, I only acted according to our pact as allies chasing after the same goal." Julian waved off. "Besides, it was young Master Roche and Caster that created those golems in the first place. I only made them move beyond their limits is all."

"True. It was a team effort." Darnic came forward and looked at the trio with a genuine smile on his face. "For that, I commend all three of you. With this, we are one step closer to winning this Holy Grail War."

The others all nodded at this. Soon afterwards, the group meeting was dismissed, and everyone went back to their respective rooms.

As he walked through the castle with both hands in his pockets. Stopping when he was sure that no one was observing him, he took out his right hand.

In said hand was a card, a card that held the image of what looked to be a horned werewolf looking creature dressed in simple garb in a hunched over stance. The word "Berserker" was written upon it. At first glance, it would have appeared to be a simple card. But the word imprinted on it implied something else.

_'Closer indeed Darnic. With this, the first phase is complete...'_

* * *

"Welcome back, I assume everything went according to plan?"

Inside Shirou's personal room within the Red Faction's villa, Assassin of Red sat on her Master's bed as he entered the room.

"I suppose it did in a way." The young priest said as he sat down on a chair and allowed himself to relax, taking off his red cape in the process. "We've managed to make an estimate of their total combat strength from what we've seen, but at the cost of Berserker."

"Oh my, that is a dear lost." Assassin smiled as she got up, walked around, and stood behind her Master's chair. "It would have been better had it been that mad writer was the one whom we lost. It would have been more beneficial to us wouldn't you agree?"

"Now now Queen of Assyria, there's no need for such cruel remarks." Shirou replied, smiling somewhat at her words. "Caster may have his eccentricities, but he's at least loyal enough to our cause in his own unique way."

"But I only speak the truth~" The raven-haired woman smiled as she began massaging her Master's shoulders. Shirou couldn't figure out for himself why she would do such things for him when he wasn't asking for it, especially given her background making it somewhat more difficult to understand. But at the same time, he didn't mind it all that much. Such a thing helped relax himself in both body and mind.

"At any rate, what should we be doing now? With part of the plan now complete, should we move on to the next phase?" Assassin asked, causing Shirou to contemplate for a moment or so before smiling.

"Not yet. I believe it to be too soon to go that far just yet." The young man replied once more. "For now, we take a moment for ourselves and rest."

"If that's the case, then shall we take a tumble~?" Assassin teased, smiling at her Master's reaction who looked to be greatly perturbed by her words.

"I'm afraid I'll have to decline." Shirou responded politely to the beautiful woman before him. "Whether I be a fake priest or not, I'm still a man of God after all. And I intend to keep it that way. Thus, I have no desire to participate in any quick trysts."

"Oh? Such a boring man you are~"

* * *

"Drinking already Archer...?"

When she entered her room after a hot shower, Reines did not expect to see Archer, dressed in his casual clothes which consisted of a black jacket, pants and a light-orange shirt, to be drinking wine on the sofa and table within the room. And judging from the bottle casing, the wine came from this villa's own storage cellar rather than her the Golden King's own personal treasury.

"Passing the time by drinking has been one of my many hobbies in life." He mused, lifting the glass in his hand and staring at it. "A friend would often tell me otherwise, saying too much of something is bad for one's health."

"Oh? And how did you respond to this?" The young blonde asked to the elder, sitting beside her Servant as she did so.

"How else? I called that person a fool, saying that there is nothing that I, the one true King, cannot handle! Whether it be ten bottles or a hundred, a thousand even, I will not fall pray to any ailments that plague the common folk when they pursue the same interests as myself."

"Hehe, I suppose that would be something you'd say." She giggled briefly before standing back up again and heading over to her closet. "No peeking alright?"

"I have no intentions of doing such a thing to a mere child." The King of Heroes waved off rather casually as Reines threw a shoe at him. At which he dodged it rather easily as it hit the wall in front of him and fell to the floor.

It always annoyed her greatly that Archer would call her a child despite being already fifteen years old. True, her looks begged to differ, but Reines took that in stride in her belief that just meant she retained her youth a little longer compared to most others.

Still, compared to what she expected of Gilgamesh, the King of Heroes, he was somewhat decent for all the arrogance that he held within himself. He was far more decent to her than some of the magi she had met during her young life, especially the old ones whose sense of morality and proper conduct were all but gone from the recesses of their mind thanks to their pursuit of the Akashic Records, otherwise simply known as the Root to others.

"Tell me something Reines," Gilgamesh began, the younger blonde noting that he was calling her by her first name. The only time he did that in the short time she knew him was when he was serious mood.

"What is it?"

"Why do you wish for the Holy Grail?" The Golden King asked. "The Grail only chooses those with a strong desire which they want granted. If so, pray tell what is yours? What could a child like yourself wish for from an all powerful artifact such as the grail."

"You ask me that now of all times?" She stated as she began putting her sleep clothes for the night.

"Call me curious I suppose."

"Well if I were to be honest, I suppose it would be reaching the Akashic Records just like everyone else." Reines began. "To be frank, I've never really believed there to be a root to all things in the complete sense. But, if there's a chance of it existing, I can't help but be curious to see what it would be like."

"You believe in such nonsense? Do you not wish for something even greater?"

"Don't misunderstand me Archer, of course I have greater desires." She stated. "However, I believe in achieving them with my own abilities rather than relying on an artifact like the Grail. There's pride to be held in accomplishing something on your own terms after all. My desire to use the grail to see the Akashic Records is only me using a shortcut for a goal whose path would take too long for me to walk with my own life, and which isn't originally my desire to begin with."

"I see..." Gilgamesh smiled as he drank his wine. "I praise you for your honesty with me Reines. You have earned yourself more of my respect."

"Enough for you to stop calling me little girl?"

"No." The Golden King smirked as he avoided another shoe being thrown at him.

* * *

"Man, losing Berserker so early in the game..."

Inside Waver's office, he, Kairi, and Rider sat apart from one another. The former two looked to be quite tired, with the latter of the trio looking rather disappointed with the outcome of the events that happened.

"We all knew the risks going in." Waver stated. "At least now we know what the fighting capability is, and we've taken down Assassin as well."

It was both a victory and a lost as they say. Though they found the lost of Berserker to be great, they at least found consolation in the fact that they still had the likes of Archer, Lancer and Rider himself in the fray. Waver knew that with both the former and the latter on the same team, victory was all but assured. It was only a matter of making sure that Archer would follow orders during any future conflict. Last thing he wanted was the latter getting killed due to carelessness and arrogance along with any unnecessary mayhem the Golden King would cause if sufficiently angered.

"I really wanted to finish my fight with that paladin." Rider sighed in disappointment. "As much as I found him to be an interesting addition to my army, fighting against him in the sky proved to be quite enjoyable."

"You'll get to finish that one day. For now, we lick our wounds and study what went wrong." His Master said in response to his words.

"Agreed." The other two replied. Soon, the trio began discussing with one another, when suddenly...

"Say, does this place have something to drink?" The necromancer asked. "Sure could use one right about now."

"Oh! That sounds like the perfect way to spend the night of a failed assault!" Rider grinned.

Waver only sighed as he directed both men to the cellar. So much for reviewing the night's events. Well, not like he could scold them for it since he too decided to partake in some drinking. What better way for three men to spend the night after all?


	9. Act I-9: Day of Repose II

_"Are you sure that you truly wish to continue on this path?"_

_One day, without anyone noticing it, a stone anvil suddenly appeared out of nowhere in a field of grass just outside the kingdom of Camelot. Buried deep within it to a certain point was a sword of magnificent design. Many of the kingdom's people were enraptured by its looks, and many tried to take the blade but to no avail as they were stopped by a magus associated with their king._

_According to prophecy that the magus had seen in a dream, only the one true king of Britain will be able to pull out the sword in the stone, for they alone are worthy of it as they shall be the one who will guide the kingdom into a glorious future. And until the day comes when the next king is to be chosen, the blade shall rest here within the stone, unsullied and preserved in its magnificence._

_A rather preposterous prophecy all things considered, a sentiment shared by many of the land's finest warriors and nobility. However, when Uther Pendragon died without any named heirs, it was declared that the identity of the next king after him was to be decided by pulling out the blade. When first declared, the people merely laughed it off, saying that the sword could be pulled out by anyone._

_However, it was not meant to be. For no matter how hard one tried, not one person was able to pull out the sword. One participant even tried having multiple strong men pulling it out at the same time, all to no avail. Thus, when it was clear that the sword wasn't going to budge, it was decided that the next king would be decided by a tournament of jousting. Many agreed to this, saying that it was much more honorable that way._

_And so the sword in the stone was left alone, with most having already given up on pulling out the blade._

_All except for one that is..._

_Standing in front of the stone anvil was a young boy, a teenager to be exact. With green eyes full of youth and vigor, blonde hair shining brightly thanks to the sun's rays, the youth stood with a determined look on his face as he stared at the challenge that was placed before him._

_Some laughed at him as they saw him walk towards the sword in the stone with the intent of pulling it out, telling him that such a thing would be futile as no boy could ever hope to achieve what men twice his age and build couldn't do themselves. He ignored them of course, believing that there was at least merit in trying._

_When the young boy was about to lay his hand on the sword grip, a voice called out to him and he saw a figure seated atop a nearby rock._

_Cloaked in white hooded robes, a wooden staff leaning against them, the figure was none other than the boy's mentor._

_"Pull that sword out, and I guarantee you that the conclusion of the path you will walk will not be one to your liking._ _All things within this world of ours eventually come to an end, whether or not a great hero should decide to rise in order to stave off the inevitable."_

_His mentor spoke. The boy had known as such, but still..._

_"Even so, I will not turn my eyes away." The young blonde stated. "With the King having passed on, chaos has ruled over the land over the bid to find his successor. No, even before then, the people have been crying out for justice and order. Bandits and foreign invaders having been swarming our borders lately, attacking and pillaging our people as they make their way deeper into our lands, yet the nobility and knights continue to waste their time on pointless festivities... all in a bid to find out who is worthy among them to becoming our next king."_

_Gazing upon the jousting arena and numerous bazaars being set up, the young boy merely scoffed at this in irritation._ _He understood that there were times that called for relaxation, for people to rest their weary souls from the chaos, but the boy couldn't help how he was feeling right now since he knew that every moment spent on such things resulted in more and more people suffering from their inaction._

_"Well considering what you are about do, do you believe yourself to be worthy enough to become king?" His mentor asked once more. "Do you think you have what it takes rule over the land and its people?"_

_"Perhaps I am, perhaps I'm not. I'll found out soon won't I?" He replied, smiling. "If I am not, then I will lend my strength to the one who does become king so long as they are someone worth following. If a am however, then I will do everything in my power to aid the land and its people in order to guide it to a more prosperous future. Even if my end is not one that I would seek, I believe that this is the right choice."_

_"A foolish one you are." The former merely sighed in amusement. "You've always been like that, even as a mere child... But, I suppose that's why I found you interesting to begin with. Ones such as yourself always prove to be an entertaining lot."_

_"Foolish am I? Well, when compared to someone who nearly slept with a-"_

_"That has nothing to do with this and we also agreed to never speak about that again." His mentor replied quickly yet calmly._

_"Ahaha...!" The boy laughed, and soon t_ _he tension was all but gone, the atmosphere between the two now was only filled silent contemplation about the future of the boy's decision to pull out the sword._

_"Arthur..." The robed figure began._

_"I've made my decision Merlin," The boy, now named Arthur, said. "All I ask of you, is for your support both as my mentor and as my friend."_

_"I suppose I've got no choice do I? You'd be lost without me." Merlin chuckled as Arthur smiled in response. "I shall expect some recompense alright~?"_

_"Hehe, but of course."_

_And so, the young blonde held onto the sword tightly with his hand and pulled, successfully taking the sword known as Caliburn out from the stone anvil much to the amazement of those around him who decided to watch him perform the feat. Soon, word spread about how a young boy was able succeed where others older and stronger failed, about how a young squire was now destined to become king._

_This was the beginning of the hero known as King Arthur..._

* * *

When Jeanne woke up that morning, her first thought for the day was that she really did not expect to see that dream.

Normally as a Servant, she would not be susceptible to such things as a spirit no longer of this world. She concluded that thanks to being the actual Master of one, she was now able to do so through visions of Arthur's past. Such an occurrence was actually quite common with Master-Servant pairs who had a high affinity for one another.

_'So what he said about becoming king at fifteen was true after all...'_

It wasn't that she doubted his words about the matter. It was just hearing about it and seeing it were two different things altogether. If there was one thing she had to say about what she had witnessed, it was that she found it a little amazing.

As a little girl, she grew up hearing tales of legendary heroes of eras long past, one of those tales being about none other than her Servant. To actually see the moment he pulled out the sword in the stone was awe-inspiring in itself. She couldn't help it, it was the beginning of a man wrapped in myth after all.

What was most noteworthy to her would have been the robed figure that Arthur was with during that time, the one who whom he called Merlin.

Though she couldn't see the face of the legendary magus, something that she was a bit disappointed at thank to her own curiosity, there was something about Merlin that felt oddly familiar to her. But she couldn't tell why that was...

_'There was something about him that felt strange... What was it?'_

"Jeanne?"

"Eh?"

Remembering her current situation, her mind snapped out from her thoughts and went back to reality. The reality of which was that she had been staring blankly at the food in front of her for a good few moments now.

Having arrived during the early hours of the day, Jeanne fell asleep for a few hours and awoke during the late morning. Currently, it was only Arthur and herself that sat at the dining table as everyone else at the church had already finished up their meals and began doing their daily chores.

"Is there something wrong with the food? I thought I made sure to make it according to your tastes."

"Ah, no there isn't. I was just thinking about something that's all." The young saint replied as she took a bite. Even now she was somewhat taken aback that her partner was a rather great cook. It better than her own at least when she tried the habit for herself the other day.

 _'Wait, why me...?'_ She thought, having realized that she had inadvertently insulted herself in the process. As well as Laeticia to be precise considering that her cooking ability together with Jeanne's own were what formed the latter's current level of skill in the culinary arts.

"Let me guess, you're thinking about what we should be doing next?" The young man stated only for his Master to have shook her head in response.

"No, not really." She began. "Since it's only been a few hours since the battle ended, I doubt either the Red Faction or the Black Faction plan to make any moves so soon, especially with the Red Faction since they have now lost Berserker. I believe they'll try to gather their strength before attacking once more."

"I have to admit, I expected Berserker to last longer than he did. Goes to show you that Lancer is quite a formidable opponent." Arthur commented. Jeanne had told him about the Servant of Red's identity during their observation of the fight.

Lu Bu, the Bastard of Three Fathers, a warrior whose name was synonymous with betrayal. For all the apparent dishonor he collected in life, the Chinese general was an exceptional warrior. Even as a Berserker, he had retained his skills as part of his base fighting instinct. For someone like Lancer to have won over him, someone whose name could be more associated with his sovereignty rather than fighting skills, it spoke a great deal about the latter's abilities.

"Indeed he would be. After all, Lancer is fighting within the country where his legend began. The boost of power he'd receive would be immense as a result." Jeanne replied, taking another bite before swallowing. "It's one of the reasons why I think the grail instructed me to summon you in Britain too. Though we're not in it at the moment, having been summoned there you received a boost in power yourself. If the fighting had taken place there, I'd believe you to be one the strongest Servants around."

"You place me on a pedestal too high." He chuckled. The white knight doubted that he'd be that strong. With Heroic Spirits such as Achilles, Karna, Siegfried, and the legendary King of Heroes Gilgamesh himself running about, he doubted that he'd be that strong in comparison.

At least, depending on the situation of course. One of the many things he learned in life was that, aside from a select few, nothing was really set in stone. A weaker force could easily overcome a stronger force given the right circumstances.

His thoughts then shifted to the rogue faction that was hiding out somewhere within the city or near it. His Master decided that they should wait it out for now since she finished her talk with the King of Heroes. Despite the way he held himself and viewed others, she felt that he was trustworthy enough to see through with her request of keeping an eye on the man known as Shirou Kotomine.

For some reason, whenever he heard the name, Arthur couldn't help but feel a shiver run down his spine. It wasn't fear that he felt, but something else. He was curious to see what kind of person was behind everything strange that was occurring in the Holy Grail War.

All thoughts about that subject quickly vanished when the young man gazed upon his Master's plate. Seeing that it was empty, he smiled and spoke.

"I presume you'll be taking thirds then?"

"Yes please!"

Filling her plate with food and giving it back to her. The young saint smiled as she began eating her third meal. As a farmer's daughter, she had an appetite that could rival five grown men put together. Eating three meals in one sitting proved to be of no consequence to someone like her. Not to mention that she found modern food to be rather delicious as well.

Arthur on the other hand found this trait to be rather amusing in itself as a smile grew on his face.

"Still, you're quite a glutton Master." He suddenly stated. "I feel quite sorry for Laeticia. She's gaining weight and it's not even her fault."

"Geh...!" The young saint froze briefly as an embarrassed look appeared on her face. "I-It's not like that! Laeticia gains the appropriate diet through any meals I eat. Any extra nutrition I take however goes directly to my own reserves of mana."

"Ah, how convenient." The male blonde continued. "I'm sure that she's feeling quite relieved about that fact herself."

Jeanne only pouted at him in response and said. "Dummy."

"Ahaha! My apologies." He laughed as the other blonde huffed in response and decided to finish her meal.

* * *

"Oh man am I bored!"

In a far off location from the city of Trifas, a young man with bright orange hair spoke aloud.

His identity was Robin Hood, the very same Servant who attacked Ruler back in Glastonbury. Currently, the young rogue was walking through the hallways of a large castle by himself, have nothing else to do as his Master had ordered him to do nothing for the time being on account of their leader's orders.

"Just how big is this place...? The Lady Queen's really something to pull all of this off."

"Why is it that you feel the incessant need to talk so loudly?"

Hearing a familiar voice behind him, with green-blonde tresses of hair approaching him with an unamused expression on her face. Her identity was Atalanta, one of the two Servants who fought against Ruler and her Servant after their arrival in Trifas.

"What? It's my way of reliving myself of boredom." Robin replied. "Don't tell me you're not bored with all just waiting around in this damn place."

"I don't particularly care if talking to yourself is your way of avoiding boredom, just do not let it be a bother to others." The Chaste Huntress replied. She wondered to herself why there were two Archer-Class Servants on their team. Clearly, the man before her was someone who would have actually been more suited for the Assassin-Class. Though both of them were long-range fighters, the one known as Robin Hood was more willingly to use cheap tricks in order to win.

"Whether I want to be noisy or not, that's up to me princess." The young rogue responded with an annoyed look as he began to walk past her. He was stopped when the latter suddenly grabbed him by the shoulder.

"What are you implying...?" Atalanta's eyes narrowed the moment he called her princess, a title which she did not take kindly to coming from someone like the male Servant before her. On the other hand...

"What? What's with that look?" The red-head asked confused, clearly not expecting the action from his comrade. "You mad at me or something?"

"That's enough of that, if the two of you start a fight, I've been tasked to intervene on my Master's behalf."

Appearing from a corner, an unusual looking male with white-hair walked up to the two with a cold look in blue eyes. It wasn't that he was angry or anything similar to the sort, it was just the default way his eyes looked. On the contrary, he was in a good mood that morning. Although his two allies had know way of knowing that tidbit for themselves, which was especially true for the male Servant of the Bow.

His identity was Karna, a Lancer-Class Servant and Atalanta's ally during her fight against Ruler and the King of Knights.

"Damn, I didn't sense you there big guy. You need something from either of us?" Robin said, somewhat nervous. He knew that Lancer was by no means a bad person, but just being near him gave the red-head shivers. It was most likely a sign of how dangerous a person the man before him was.

"No, I was just passing through when I heard the two of you talking." Karna replied, gazing at the golden-haired huntress. "Archer, try to calm yourself when around your allies. Arguing with Archer does not benefit us nor our Masters at all."

Sighing as she knew that Lancer had a point, Atalanta spoke. "You're right. That was unworthy of me I suppose."

"Speaking of which, you think you can just call me by name or something when the two of us are both around?" The young rogue added. "I mean, it's kinda confusing when you think about it when you call two people by the same title."

"If that's what you wish, then what you would you suggest I call you by?"

"So you're okay with it? Let's see here..." Robin began. "What would be a cool name...?"

"Shall we go with _idiot_ then...?" A faint smirk could be seen on the Chaste Huntress' face.

"Haha, very funny." The young rogue sarcastically replied.

* * *

When Gray entered her Teacher's room, she expected that it would be a complete mess once she entered it. Ever since she began studying under Waver as his apprentice, the latter having also preferred being addressed by his title as Lord El-Melloi II, she quickly discovered that despite the way he presented himself in public, her teacher was for the lack of better terms, a deadbeat when it came to his home life.

Empty cans of beer and wine bottles, documents and clothing scattered about the room...

And now two grown men passed out on the floor, which were Rider of Red and Kairi Shishigou respectively, could be added to the list. Her teacher's videogames, along with very important association documents, were about the only things in the room that were organized. Sighing, she walked over to the bed and pulled the sheets where Waver was sprawled out beneath.

"It's now morning Master." She began. "It would be best that you wake up now less you sleep in more than you already have."

"Gray...?" The long-haired man yawned as he rubbed his eyes. "What in the bloody hell happened last night?"

"Ahaha...! How pathetic, it seems our illustrious leader has even lost his memory to a simple drink."

Speaking of which, Archer sat upon one of the sofas in the room while casually drinking a cup of wine for himself. And now that she noticed him as well, she just realized that Lancer was also asleep on the floor with the smell of alcohol coming from him. She wondered where had he gone off so suddenly last night. Now her question had just been answered.

"Archer...? Just what happened here?" Gray began.

"I believe you can already guess that for yourself girl." Archer began, gesturing to the unique container within the room, which about as big as a barrel. From the design alone, Gray was able to guess that said container came from Archer himself via his treasury. Her master told her the identity of the Servant of the Bow, so she wasn't surprised by his abilities all that much aside from the fact that he had more than just weapons within his storage that he could use.

"Rider had insisted upon seeing who among the five of us could out drink the other in a contest. Obviously, I called him a fool for this as the drinks he served were rather subpar." The blonde gestured to the beer cans lying about. "As such, I remedied the situation with one of my many treasure suitable for such a thing. Apparently none of them were able to handle it. A weak-willed fools the lot of them are, falling prey to something that's nothing more than a simple drink."

"Hahaha~!" Suddenly, Lancer sat up with a rather strange look on his face. "Y-You're the weak one here goldie~! After all, you got us like this because you can't even beat us normally can you~? I knew it~"

Gray only sighed as she realized that somehow Lancer was drunk. She thought to herself that Servants would have been above such things, but apparently they were not given the tipsy look her Servant had. And instead of being angry as usual at Lancer for his insult, Archer instead only gave him an amused look before smirking as he finished the glass in his hands. The young girl found it to be rather strange, which only lasted a few seconds as the blonde suddenly spoke out.

"No, you're the weak one Lancer." He declared. "If you seek to prove to me otherwise, then I dare you as the King to finish that container in one sitting. Do so and I will acknowledge and respect you as an equal."

"You're on!" Soon enough, the green-haired spearsman took the container in hand and began spilling the contents into his mouth and onto the floor beneath, Archer laughing ever so slightly to himself as he watched the scene and encouraging the Servant of the Lance to keep on going. Gray had no words that could help her describe the rather surrealistic scene before her. Though she did have one thought going through her mind.

Just what on earth did they drink...?

"..."

Hearing footsteps at the doorway, Gray saw both Reines and Mordred leaning on opposite ends of the door frame with blank looks on their faces and their arms crossed.

"Men." The latter stated as she shook her head slightly after seeing Waver's current appearance. She too had gotten used to his rather messy lifestyle as an adult, but seeing it always had her speechless everytime she gazed upon his personal quarters. She was both amused and embarrassed, though currently it was just the latter.

"I suppose some things don't ever change even as centuries pass." The older blonde did the same as reminisced her days as a Knight. Though she hated the Round Table and its members with a burning passion, she couldn't help but be reminded of them once she saw this.

A loud crashing sound echoed throughout the room as all looked to see Lancer suddenly pass out from his drinking. Archer merely smirked as continued to drink from the cup in his hands.

"It seems as though we're not equals then." He said, chuckling slightly.

* * *

"So then Saber, your identity is Siegfried eh?"

Seated at the edge of the castle wall that overlooked the city were Astolfo and Elizabeth, accompanying them was none other than Saber of Black, the latter of which chose to simply stand near the two as they spoke with one another.

"No wonder I always got this jittery feeling whenever I'm around you..." The female pinkette said as she held herself and gazed at her ally's sword. "You be sure that you don't hit me with that thing by accident you hear me? I'll get really mad at you if you do."

"Fear not, for my blade is only a threat to my enemies." Siegfried replied warmly, causing Elizabeth to grin in satisfaction.

"Hearing you speak after all this time is somewhat strange..." Astolfo commented with a curious look. "Are you sure your Master won't get mad at you for breaking your oath of silence?"

"I do not believe so. Master Gordes has stated that since I already called out the name of my Noble Phantasm, the Red Faction would most likely know who I am at this point in time. Thus, there is no longer a need for me to remain silent."

"Well that's neat~! Now we can actually hold proper conversations~!" The young paladin stated, causing the taller male to smile in response at his cheerful energy. He felt that no boredom would occur during the peaceful moments of the war so long as Rider was around.

"I've been meaning to ask you all what your wishes would be for the grail." Astolfo began. "With Saber now free to speak his mind, I think now would be a perfect time to hold this conversation among ourselves."

"If that's the case, then what about Lancer, Archer, Caster, and Assassin?" The Servant of the Sword asked.

"Lancer scares me, so I won't bother asking him to come here." Elizabeth giggled at her friend's statement. "Archer and Caster are both busy with their duties for the day, so I don't want to bother them. And Assassin's right here isn't he?"

As if on cue, a male Assassin appeared before the group much to Elizabeth's surprise as she nearly fell off the castle wall.

"You called?" He spoke.

"Hey! Don't appear so suddenly like that when you're so close to me!" Even now she still found Assassin and his personas to be rather creepy. And their habit of appearing out of nowhere only unnerved her even more since unlike other Servants whom she could still sense while they were in their spirit form much like the others, the Assassins had the Presence Concealment skill that prevented them from being detected.

"My apologies milady Berserker, I did not mean to offend." Assassin replied in a well-mannered tone that caught the pinkette off guard as she did not expect it. She also found his referral of her to be rather strange since "Milady Berserker" wasn't exactly a term one would often hear spoken by others due to the words that formed said term.

"Heh~" Astolfo began checking every inch of Assassin very closely. "Say Assassin, I have to ask. Do each of you have names? Because it's probably going to be confusing telling which one of you is who and who isn't."

"Ah, that is a simple matter." Assassin replied. "To answer your question, we do have names, but not all of us. Since we consider each of ourselves to be one person, names never truly mattered to any of us since we can tell who is who and what their role is as one of our personas."

"Well that's interesting." Astolfo commented. "What's your name? You said that at least some of you have one right?"

"My name is Zayd, it's a pleasure to meet you Rider." Assassin extended his hand.

"Pleased to meet you too~" The young paladin replied with a grin as he and the skull-masked Servant shook hands. "So then, what do you wish for Assassin? I mean, there isn't really any harm for any of us to learn what we all wish for right?"

"I suppose so." Zayd shrugged, as did the others who were present. Though he was merely assigned as an observer of the Servants gathered before him together with several others, thus not require to interact with them much, he suddenly felt the desire to mingle with his fellow Servants and his counterparts had no problem with such an action. Perhaps it was merely due to boredom, who could say?

"Well, my wish would be that myself and my brethren would be reunited once more."

"What? Do you wish for another life or something?"

"No, that's not it." Zayd replied. "Originally, myself and my counterparts were one person alone. But due to our unique ability, once we became a Heroic Spirit and summoned as a Servant, we manifest as multiple individuals. What we desire is simply to unite ourselves once more. Though our abilities are useful in this form, it is somewhat troubling at the same time."

"So in other words, you guys just want to get back together into a single person again?" Elizabeth said, causing Zayd to nod. "That sounds kinda weird if you ask me~"

"Hey now, there's no need to be rude." The young paladin chided the pinkette, who merely pretended to be innocent. Seeing that he was no longer needed, Zayd bade them farewell and faded back into spirit form. Seeing this, Astolfo turned his attention back to his friend.

"So what about you Berserker? What's your wish?"

"To be an idol!" The pinkette quickly replied, causing the other two to pause momentarily at a loss from Elizabeth's answer.

Both men had a single question running through their minds. Just what in the world was an idol...? The first thing that came to mind was the objects of worship that religions or cults would sometimes use. Did that mean that Berserker wanted to become someone that was worshiped then?

"Don't be surprised, that's the same reaction I had when she told me."

All looked to see Caules and Fiore Forvedge appear before them, the former giving a look towards his Servant as he spoke.

"If you want to know what an idol is, then feast your eyes on this."

Pulling out a parchment from his jacket, Caules unfolded it and revealed it to be a poster that depicted multiple teenage girls with varying hair colors wearing school uniforms. In their respective dominant hand were microphones. Colorful imagery dominated the poster, with the title _Love Live_ being printed upon it. Both Saber and Rider had identical looks of surprise on their faces. One glance and they were able to tell what it was about given the imagery. _That's_ what Berserker wanted to be?

"And you happened to have that with you because...?" Fiore began with a teasing smile.

"I-It doesn't matter! I'm just giving an example is all!" Caules quickly panicked as he folded the poster back into his jacket.

The female brunette only giggled at this. As his elder sister, she knew of her younger brother's interests in life were aside from the ones he had as a magus. She didn't know much about the topic of anime, manga, or cartoons, but she knew enough about said topics to know that Caules had a real interest in such things and that he would sometimes draw his own illustrations in regards to said interests.

"Ahahaha! As if 2D girls could compete with the real thing!" Elizabeth laughed haughtily. "With my beauty and singing talent, everyone is going to adore me once I take the stage after the Holy Grail War. I'll be the only thing they'll pay attention to from now on!"

 _'Well you definitely have what it takes, problems is that you suck at taking critique...'_ Caules deadpanned in his mind, not wanting Berserker to hear his thoughts less she get angry with him and decide to smack him as a result. For a Servant, she really was a free-spirited sort.

"Well that's an interesting wish." Astolfo commented as he gazed at Saber. "Then what about you my friend? Is there anything you wish to share or do you feel that you do not wish to partake? I'm not trying to force the issue after all, I'm just curious."

"Well, so long as it's nothing like Berserker's wish, I don't think we'll judge you for it." Caules commented.

"Hey! What's that supposed to mean!?" His Servant cried out in annoyance as she held him a headlock as the young man struggled to break free. Fiore giggled at this, while Rider motioned for his friend to continue.

"My wish is rather simple." Saber began. "But I'll save it for another time. Right now, I'm afraid my Master is calling for me."

With that, the dragon-slayer went into spirit form, leaving the group behind as Astolfo sighed in disappointment.

"Well that's too bad. Here I was hoping that we could talk more for today..."

"Say Rider, what's your wish?" Caules suddenly asked. He was curious what someone like the feminine male would want from something like the grail.

"Who me? Let's see~" Crossing both arms, the young paladin sat still as his mind was deep in thought. It was over rather quickly though as the young man smiled and laid a hand behind his head as he spoke.

"Nothing~! I guess I'm completely content with my life~!"

Such an answer caused both Caules and Elizabeth to face fault to the ground, with Fiore on the other hand only looking somewhat surprised. They supposed that they should have expected it considering the type of person Rider was after all.

* * *

"Ah, Lord Darnic."

Greeting the head of the Yggdmillennia clan, Caster bowed her head in the presence of the blue-haired , the Servant of Magic was re-purposing the golems used in the last battle in order better fight against their enemies. Knowing now how strong they were, adjustments had to be made in order to prepare themselves for the next battle less they were routed so easily again.

"Caster, how goes your work?"

"It's all going accordingly. Together with my young Master, he and the homunculi have all been very helpful." She replied, glancing at the young ginger-haired boy. She found the smile on his face as he worked on the golems to be a rather heartwarming thing to see.

"I see." Darnic nodded, satisfied. "Then what about your familiars? Have they picked up anything out of the ordinary?"

"Not yet." Caster shook her head. "I had one of them trail the Red Faction members back to their base of operations, but on the way it was spotted and destroyed. As a result, finding out where they is taking longer than I would like."

"Then I'll have the Assassins help you in this endeavor. Their numbers and skills should be of use with your search. And with the death of one of their own, the Red Faction will have believed that they've taken out one of our Servants in this war. In doing so, they'll be letting their guard down."

"Very well then, I was about to suggest the same thing myself actually." Caster nodded.

"Ah...!"

Hearing the sound of glass shattering, both looked to see a case of vials having been knocked over to the floor, the contents of which scattered about and broken thanks to the fall. The culprit behind said event was none other than one of the homunculi that was helping out with Caster's duties.

"Now look at what you've done! This is why I don't like working with people or homunculi..." Roche reprimanded with an annoyed pout as the homunculus in question began cleaning up his mess.

"There's no need for that." Caster sighed as with a flick of her wrist, the mess cleaned itself up with the vials being repaired back into pristine condition.

"My apologies..." The homunculus said, an ashamed tone in his voice. Though one couldn't really tell in regards to that thanks to the blank expression he had, an expression that he also shared with most of his brethren.

The Servant of Magic merely shook her head and motioned for the homunculus to continue on with his work. Seeing this, Darnic spoke.

"You're quite forgiving aren't you?"

"Well it was just an accident after all." Caster replied. "And I suppose I find being angry over a single mistake to be a rather tiresome thing to do, especially since the one responsible is no more than a child one takes into consideration the length of their lifespan."

Glancing at said homunculus briefly, she turned her gaze back to the blue-haired man and continued.

"Speaking of which, are you sure you wish for me to use him like this?" She asked. "I believed that he was one of the homunculi created by Saber's Master in order to supply us Servants of Black with mana so that you and the other Masters are able to perform to the best of your abilities, did you not?"

"Indeed, but I feel there's nothing wrong in allowing these creatures to roam about in the castle and help out with our duties. The more they learn, the more they will be useful as they say." Darnic replied as a smile grew on his face. "Besides, you remember what you said about having yet found a way to control the dragon did you not? I believe I may have found us a way."

"Wait, you're not suggesting...?" She said, having noticed that he was gazing at the homunculus in question.

"Oh, but I am Princess of Colchis. I am." Darnic's smile grew wider.

* * *

"It now occurs to me that I actually don't know you all that well Master."

A little while after their morning meal, Jeanne and Arthur decided to head out to the forest. The reason for doing so was rather simple. The former admitted that she wasn't as much of an experience warrior compared to other Servants in the Holy Grail War due to having been a standard-bearer in life, and knew that in a prolonged fight, she would lose against those of greater skill than her. The Black Knight that attacked her quickly being the first to come to mind.

So, in order to remedy this, she felt that taking a few lessons from Arthur would do her some good in the future. The white knight understood this reasoning well enough, and so the two headed off and found a secluded spot where they could train. Once they began, Arthur was surprised by how quickly she was able to learn from their spar as only a few hours had passed since they began. He wondered to himself how skilled she would have been had she been more of a front-line fighter and lived to an older age.

Parrying an incoming blow, the young saint replied to her Servant's sudden statement.

"Does that bother you...?" She said. The female blonde hadn't expected her partner to say such a thing out of the blue.

"Somewhat." Arthur said as he dodged his Master's counterattack. "Because now that I think about it, you've acted as a comforting friend to me ever since that night with Mordred. I feel rather guilty at having taken advantage of your kindness."

"Don't be. That's what friends do for each other, do they not?" The young saint said as she twirled around struck the knight from behind. Smiling at this, he quickly counterattacked with a blow that pushed her back a great deal across the ground.

"I suppose so." Arthur replied as he planted Excalibur into the ground with both hands on its grip. "However, I still do feel rather bad about not knowing much about you in spite your kindness to me. I feel like I've been selfish."

"Well, if you want, you could always ask me about my life." She suggested before crooked smile formed on her face. "Though I believe mine isn't as extravagant as the one that King Arthur has lead."

"Nonsense." Arthur replied as he sat down on a log together with the young saint. "So then, what sort of place did you grow up in?"

"I was born to a family of farmers in a small village." Jeanne began as another smile grew on her face. "It was a quiet place, the people who lived there were good people who looked out for their own. There were grass fields as far as the eye could see. It was beautiful in my eyes."

"That sounds somewhat familiar." The knight commented, remembering his own youth. The way his Master described her village was almost exactly like the one he grew up in together with his brother Kay before becoming King. "What kind of people were your parents?"

"Ah, mother was always kind to me, she taught me a lot of things as I grew older." She said, her smile growing wider. "Father on the other hand was strict person. Although that was because he was always rather protective of me."

"Well I don't blame him for that." Arthur said, suddenly grinning. "With your looks, you must've attracted quite a number of suitors."

"Wait, what does that have to do with-" She paused. Realizing what the knight had just said, she blushed but maintained her cool. "I-It wasn't like that. True, there were those that tried to court me and father often drove them off... Wait, why am I even talking about this!?"

Said topic was something that she found somewhat embarrassing to begin with. Seeing the look on Arthur's face, Jeanne pouted and held her sheath with both hands before bopping her Servant on the head with it in a light fashion, who in response merely chuckled slightly at the action.

"Dummy, and you're the one asking me to tell you about myself too."

"Hehe, my apologies. I had believed I was merely speaking the truth." Arthur replied. Jeanne gazed at her partner from the corner of her eyes, an annoyed look on her face that eventually went away and was replaced with a smile of her own as she felt humbled by his words as it meant that he was complimenting her more than just teasing.

"I have to admit Arthur, when I first met you, I didn't expect you to be something of a lighthearted jester given your... well, your past." She commented, changing the subject and making sure to not touch upon the latter topic rather lightly considering how everything ended up during the last few years of the young man's life.

"Well, I always believed that facing life with a smile on your face is better than facing it with a frown." He replied with a shrug before a smile grew on his face. "That, and I suppose a good friend of mine rubbed off on me more than I would like. Though a trickster, that person's heart was always in the right place."

Jeanne had an idea about who said friend was, her mind going back to the dream she had. With this at the forefront of her thoughts, she spoke.

"That good friend is Merlin, isn't it?"

"That's right." Arthur replied, giving his Master a knowing look. "You've been receiving visions of my past haven't you?"

"Only one, and it was about the time you drew the sword in the stone." The young saint replied, a curious look in her eyes as she continued. "How did you know?"

"Because I received a vision of _your_ past the other night actually. I believed it was only a matter of time before you received one about myself." The young man revealed as Jeanne blinked in surprise. "And before you say anything, it was just some memories of your childhood. There was nothing I saw that you would find to be embarrassing. I have to say though, you take after your mother greatly. I would have mistook her for you had it not been for the fact that she had shorter hair compared to your own."

Jeanne sighed in relief at this, while at the same time smiling as she found Arthur's comparison of her to her mother to her liking. She always admired her mother, and thought of her to be a rather beautiful person. Hearing that she resembled her closely was quite a complement to the young saint.

"Speaking of which, what was it like? When you first decided to partake in the war that made you a hero?" Arthur asked.

Sighing to herself, Jeanne looked up at the sky. Memories of the Hundred Years War coming back to her as she remembered her beginnings as someone who fought and memories of those she fought alongside with during those events. Though she knew that at leas six centuries had passed since then, for a Heroic Spirit like her, those turbulent times still felt like they all took place only a short while ago.

"Admittedly, I found it to be quite troubling." She began. "I never picked up a sword in my life nor did I ever learn how to read. As someone who wanted to do her part for her country, it was hard for me to suddenly adapt."

"You say that, but it seems you're a quick learner given how much your sword skills have improved within a short span of time." Her companion commented as she looked at him in response.

"That's probably because I'm a Servant right now. I doubt that I would be able to learn as quick if I were still human." The young saint humbly replied. "Still, I never allowed my illiteracy nor my lack of training as a warrior to deter me from my goals. So long as my heart and my faith were both steadfast, I believed that I would be able to pull through any challenge set forth by both the Lord and the world."

"You truly believe in your God that much?" It wasn't so much of a question that Arthur was saying so much as it was just him reconfirming the fact as he saw for himself how often his Master would pray during times that allowed it. The words she had spoken to Lancer of Black coming to mind as well.

"I suppose I can understand your skepticism. Truthfully, the belief in a singular deity who surpasses all and created all is something that I would probably have trouble believing in at first had I been raised differently." She said, suddenly smiling. "But, I believe with all my heart that he truly does exist. Even if the Lord chooses not to reveal himself to his followers, so long as his love is there, why would one ask for more?"

Looking up at the sky once more, she continued.

"Whenever I look at the sky, the land, the sea, or the people, I can feel the love the Lord has for all his creations." Her face then took on a saddened expression. "And there's also the sorrow. The sorrow that he feels for us as we struggle with ourselves and others. It was because I could hear his lamenting that I chose to take up the sword, so that I might find a way soothe the Lord's pain."

Arthur remained in silence as Jeanne spoke. He had a feeling he somehow knew what she was talking about given his personal experience... but decided to not say anything as believed that doing so would have been insulting his Master's beliefs, which he found to be rather endearing trait of hers in their own way.

"I know that there's a bit of hypocrisy in fighting to stop the fighting, but I believe-" The female blonde continued, but was cut off by Arthur raising a hand.

"You needn't say more." He began with a smile. "Your faith in your beliefs is most certainly an admirable trait to have Master. That, and the way you present yourself to others speaks for itself. I believe you are someone who is truly deserving of being called a Saint."

"Hehe, thank you Arthur."

Jeanne smiled in response, feeling humbled by her partner's words. Soon the two continued on with their sparring session.

* * *

"Tell me Master, do you have family?"

Looking up from the book he was reading, Shirou saw Assassin drinking a glass of wine. Currently, both were seated within the library of that was located inside the villa. As per his word, he decided to allow himself and his Servants some time to relax before moving on with the next phase of the plan.

"Isn't it a bit early for such a thing?" He asked as the raven-haired beauty's fingers played around with the glass somewhat as she replied to him.

"In your time perhaps. But for those of my era, we were poised to drink whenever we want." She said, glancing at him as she continued while smiling. "And you didn't answer my question. Is it a topic you do not wish to speak about?"

"What brought this on?" Shirou sighed, closing the book in his hands.

"Nothing. Merely curiosity is what drives me today."

Pausing for a moment to wonder whether or not he should answer his Servant, the young priest relented and began speaking about his familial relations.

"Well I do have a foster-brother if that's what you're asking." Shirou stated. "Considering my background, I don't exactly have one that I'm related to by blood. Anyway, he's a strange sort, so I'm not that close to him all that much. Is my answer satisfactory?"

"Somewhat. Why is it that you aren't close to him?" Her question only caused the young man to grimace, frowning slightly at the thought of his brother.

"For one, as much as I would like to, I cannot approve of him." Shirou began. "My brother is something of a genius. Whatever path he chose to follow, he is able to walk it without facing too much hardship. Whatever a person could think of doing for a living, he could do it to the utmost efficiency. And a few years ago, he even became joined the Executors of the Church."

"I don't see where this is going..."

"I was getting there." He replied. "My brother was able to accomplish a great many things at a young age. Although I'm not related to him by blood, I would be lying to myself if I said that I wasn't proud of him. Those around him, including myself, showered him with praise. Yet..."

His frown grew as his eyes narrowed.

"Yet in spite of all that, he was never happy." Shirou slowly began. "There was an empty void within him. Whatever he did, everything he did, never gained any form of satisfaction or happiness with himself. He even had a wife and daughter last I heard, but apparently he's still unable to find happiness last I saw him."

"Really now...?" A man unable to find any sort of happiness despite living a life like that? Assassin was now curious to hear more.

"There's actually only thing he could do to achieve any semblance of joy... But because he found it to be quite reprehensible, he devoted his life to finding new ways to enjoy life, which is why he devoted himself greatly to every path he had walked, and is currently trying to do even now."

"Pray tell, what did your brother find so reprehensible about himself that he wanted to change it...?" Assassin asked.

"It was the fact that the only time he found happiness in life was whenever he saw the suffering of the people before him." Shirou replied, causing his Servant to briefly widen her eyes. "I've tried helping him with his problem, but so far no success. My wish for the grail is partly for his sake as well. So that he may find salvation in life."

"My, my, such an interesting person your brother is Master." The Queen of Assyria smiled. "I believe I would have found it to be a rather entertaining prospect to meet a man like him."

"Indeed it is!"

Arriving from out of nowhere, Caster stood before the duo with a large grin on his face. The young priest already had an idea of what he was about to say.

"Oh Master!" He began, both posing and speaking dramatically. "Might I ask that you tell more about your brother? He sounds to be a rather excellent candidate to base one of my characters on for a story that I've been planning on writing for some time now. A man tortured by his sense of morality and his personal happiness, trying to find different ways to settle both... It would make for an entertaining psychological tale no?"

"I thought you would say that, and my answer to you would be no." The young man deadpanned. "We have more important things to be discussing about rather than the life story of my brother. And talking about him troubles me more than I would like, so I'm dropping the conversation now."

"Ah, tis a shame then." Caster sighed.

"You're truly obsessed with your stories aren't you?" Assassin muttered with a disapproving look on her face. Really now, who in the world thought it would be a good idea to summon someone like him as a Servant?

It was at that point that a dove flew in through an open window, landing upon the outstretched hand of Assassin who sensed it coming and gently stroked it. Said dove was one of her familiars that she used for surveillance. And given that it had returned without its fellows, it apparently meant that there was news.

"Well now... isn't that interesting?" The Servant of Stealth began with a smile on her face. And upon seeing her Master gaze upon her in curiosity, she continued.

"It seems as though _that_ girl and her dog are here in this city. Looks as though she decided to participate after all."

"Really now...?" This quickly caught Shirou's attention as his eyes narrowed and a smile grew on his face. "Well then, now that they've appeared once more, perhaps we should send them a greeting as a form of proper etiquette?"

* * *

_'Ugh... for a small city, this place sure is big.'_

Groaning to herself, Ayaka walked through the streets of Trifas by herself. Currently, the young teen was wearing a disguise which consisted of a beret, a scarf, a pair of sunglasses, and a simple jacket over a simple civilian clothes. Lancer was following her from a distance in spirit form, making sure not to stick to closely to her less that someone who knew of the Holy Grail War spotted them together and drew their own conclusions.

 _"You sure you know what you're doing? You've been walking around in circles all day."_ Lancer stated through their telepathic link with one another.

 _"If you have a better solution then I would be happy to hear it."_ She snapped back.

 _"Whoa, touchy. No need to be angry now."_ The blue-haired spearsman replied coolly, mildly amused by his Master's reaction. The young blonde merely sighed at this. She didn't mean to get burst out like that, it just came out.

Walking through the streets in hopes of finding Ruler was the best thing she could do at the moment. She didn't have any familiars she could use to help her out nor did she know how to create one for herself. Unlike the rest of her family, Ayaka's talent as a mage was mediocre at best much like her grandmother before her. Because of this, her skills were rather sub-par compared to the rest of her family because the family head decided to focus on teaching her two cousins.

It made sense to her why that was. The current family head was their father and her uncle, and Ayaka herself wasn't as talented as they were when it came to magecraft.

 _'Rin and Sakura... I wonder how they're both doing now?'_ She thought, smiling at the thought of her two cousins. She knew that the former was able to take care of herself, and that she was a protective older sister to the latter, whom herself generally got along better with Ayaka than her sister did. Either way, the blonde teen cared greatly for both of them.

Because of current circumstances, Ayaka hadn't been able to contact her family for at least a month now. She was sure that her grandmother was worried for her. Ayaka got along with her the best together with Sakura.

She wanted to inform them of what was happening, but she didn't want to be a bother and the fact that involving them would perhaps put them in danger was something that was constantly on her mind the moment she thought about the idea. That, and her grandmother would most likely faint at the idea of her having decided to participate in the Holy Grail War, and the last thing she wanted was to put her elderly relative through any stress.

_"Hey Master..."_

Stopping in her tracks, she paused to listen to what Lancer had to say to her. The tone of his voice told her that it was serious.

_"What is it?"_

_"Better get a move on quick if you know what I mean."_ He began. _"Looks like someone spotted us, and I feel them closing in too."_

_"Damn it...!"_

Quickly using her wits, the young blonde reinforced her legs and sped down the streets of Trifas. Though it was an advanced technique of Reinforcement, Ayaka learned how to apply the spell to herself through lessons with Rin. It was one of the few that she was good at using as a mage.

She needed to find a way to lose her pursuers. If she couldn't do that, she should at least find a secluded spot so Lancer could do his thing for her more easily. With the amount of people in the city this time of day, that was going to be a hard.

_'There has to be somewhere we can fight properly in the worse case scenario...'_

Continuing to run for good minute through the streets, she turned a corner and eventually came upon an alley that led into an empty lot. Seeing a chance, Lancer decided to materialize beside her. At the same time, two figures landed right in front of the duo, causing the blonde girl to narrow her eyes and glare as she recognized both.

"It's good to see you again, Tohsaka Ayaka." One of them spoke, wearing black clothing and a red cape. His companion on the other hand, who was a white-haired male that wore strange armor with a flaming cape, she immediately recognized as his Servant.

"I'm afraid I can't say the same, Kotomine-san." Ayaka replied cautiously. "I'm surprised that you came out all this way on your own, considering your position after all."

"I'll admit, even I'm having doubts about my decision to come here." Shirou stated with a smile. "But considering our relationship with each other, I suppose I just wanted to see you again."

"Don't say it like that, it's weird...!" The blonde spoke unamused as the young priest smile grew even wider.

"My apologies then." He said as he gestured to his surroundings. "And have no fear, I've already erected a boundary field throughout this area so that you and I may have our meeting uninterrupted. We can now speak as long as we want."

"Is there anything we have to talk about? Because I doubt it."

"How cruel, and I'm here on my best behavior too." The young priest quipped, which only served to cause Ayaka to glare at him more.

"I will you ask you this only once. Will you not join me in my quest?" Shirou asked, a sad smile on his face. "As I consider you to be a good person, I am unwilling to cause harm to you if I can help it. But, should you stand in my way, I will take the appropriate actions."

"You should already know my answer!" Ayaka cried out. "Your intentions for the grail will only bring about danger to humanity, and you know it!"

"Yes, the risk is there." He replied, unfazed. "But if the result is going to benefit humanity in the long run, then why not take it? Humanity has taken on numerous risks in the past, and this is no different from the rest when you think about it."

"That doesn't justify what you're trying to do. If you fail, then the consequences will be severe. And the rest of us may have to pay for that mistake!" Ayaka argued.

A good moment of silence passed between the two pairs of Master and Servant. It was broken when Shirou sighed and shook his head in disappointment at the young woman's decision to stand against him.

"I see that you still believe that... and just when I thought that you and I could truly be on the same side." The young priest stated with a sad smile, causing Ayaka to frown as spoke this. "Perhaps another time then, once I win the grail war that is."

And knowing to himself what Ayaka's Lancer would say to him, he didn't bother trying to convert the blue-haired spearsman to his cause. Turning his back on the two, Shirou spoke two simple words as he walked past Servant.

"Kill them."

Nodding at this, Karna took on a battle stance as he summoned his spear. Seeing this, Lancer took on a stance of his own as he began grinning wildly. At that point, the white-haired priest vanished from Ayaka's vision. This left just her and Lancer against the Servant that stood before them.

"My apologies for what I am about to do." The demigod began.

"Heh! So you're that type of guy huh?" Lancer chuckled as he glanced at his Master. "Hey Ayaka! Mind if I have some fun?"

"Go all out if you have to! We can't afford to lose here!" She replied as she began distancing herself from the fight that was about to begin.

"Alright then! Let's dance pretty boy!"

With a twirl of his spear and a loud cry of excitement, Lancer charged his foe head-on.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So yeah, decided to make the blonde Ayaka from Fate/Strange Fake part of the Tohsaka family, along with a certain someone and his family being mentioned. Also a certain homunculus finally appears as well. I thought to myself I wouldn't use him, but decided to anyway. Just know this, he will not be gaining the exact abilities he did in the original novel for the sole reason that doing that would require me to have Siegfried perform heart surgery in a way that's basically him ripping out his own heart, shoving it down some guy's throat, and the guy miraculously revives as a result.
> 
> That never made any sense to me at all. Transplanting a Heroic Spirit's organ/body part onto someone else is something I can understand through information provided by side material and the original source itself, but the way it was performed seemed like it was pulled out of someone's ass. Granted, Gilgamesh himself did the same with Shinji using Ilya's heart, but how does shoving a heart down someone's throat equate to healing? At least EMIYA's arm had to be surgically transplanted onto Shirou by Kirei. Now, if it was done in a manner like that, then I'd probably have less problems with it.
> 
> Lastly, I know that Love Live didn't exist in 2004 but I couldn't think of anything else as a substitute for the joke XP
> 
> Anyway, that's it for now. Please leave a review :D


	10. Act I-10: Familiar Strangers

"Hah!"

Parrying the incoming strikes from his counterpart, Karna stood his ground as he gazed into the blue-haired warrior's crimson colored eyes. They held a strong will in them. Seeing this, he knew that his opponent wasn't going to go down easily.

Not that he was complaining. For one such as him, warriors with strong wills in the face of great danger were people that he deeply respected.

***CLANG***

Lancer swung his red spear, the white-haired demigod easily countered it by swinging his own. The former then began to thrust multiple times, with Karna parrying the bows with his bare hands. He noted that his counterpart was extremely fast, even faster than him to tell the truth.

Knowing this, he decided to up the ante as flames began to form around his body.

"Whoa, what...!?"

***CLANG* *CLANG* *SLASH***

Barely being able to react in time, Lancer was caught off guard when flames surrounded his foe and his movement and strength being faster and stronger as a result. The resulting strikes coming from his foe were now blowing apart their surroundings rather easily with each miss. And any attacks he connected with his spear didn't seem to be doing much damage at all. He could only wonder to himself what kind of monster he was dealing with here.

However, such a thing wasn't frightening him at all. In fact, it was doing the exact opposite.

Smirking, the blue-haired spearsman charged once more as he Karna exchanged blows with one another. Though the latter was superior as a warrior, the former was able to use his own strengths and experience against his more powerful opponent.

"So this is how Servants fight."

Off to the side, Ayaka hid behind a dumpster as she watched the fight between her Servant and the rogue Lancer.

She already seen how Servants fought the other night, but seeing it up close and personal was another thing altogether. She had a hard time keeping up with the two as their movements went way beyond what the human eye could comprehend. Even if she were to use magecraft in order to better visualize the fight, she doubted that it would have done any good considering the situation.

She was also glad that the rogue Lancer wasn't targeting her and instead decided to first face her Servant before her. That lengthened her lifespan for the moment, but she couldn't run away either. Shirou had caught up to her, so who knows what plans he had already concocted as backup plans. She was at her safest near Lancer, that much was clear to her.

***CLANG***

Both men jumped back from each other as they both parried the others attack once more.

"Hehe...! You're not half-bad pretty boy." Lancer smirked. "If it wasn't for the fact that you're trying to kill my Master, you and I could have some real fun with each other."

"Perhaps." Karna nodded, glancing at the young blonde who quickly hid herself behind the dumpster once she saw him gaze at her. He thought to himself why his Master had ordered him to do such a thing.

With but a glance, he could tell much about the girl known as Tohsaka Ayaka. Cowardly, yet at the same time brave. Easy to annoy, yet a kindhearted girl nonetheless. It was a gift of his in being able to figure out a person's nature just by looking at them. Sometimes it benefited him, sometimes it did not. Either way, both did not apply to his current situation.

Why was it that his Master has ordered the death of a girl like her? Would it not be simpler to just kill her Servant? He could tell that without him, she was powerless to stand against him and his allies. If his Master truly regarded the person before him as a friend, would he not contemplate trying to spare her even if she stood in his way?

Alas, it was not his role to question his Master's wishes and desires. He was a Servant, nothing more and nothing less. There was only one thing expected of him, and that was to obey his Master's orders to the letter. Though he could disagree with it on a certain level, he would follow through with it no matter what, for he had already sworn his allegiance to the man known as Shirou Kotomine.

"Well, I guess it's time for me to use this move...!"

Taking stance that involved Lancer holding the tip of the spear downward while holding the end upward, he grinned wildly as a demonic aura began to emanate from his weapon, the sight of which caused the white-haired demigod to raise his guard as he realized what was about to happen.

Lancer was about to use his Noble Phantasm...

Ayaka herself was surprised. She had told Lancer that he shouldn't hold back, but for him to use it this early on? Was their enemy really that dangerous?

"Let's see if you can still stand after I take your heart for myself mister invincible!"

Taking a single step forward, an act that was more akin to a stomp thanks to the cracks that appeared, the blue-haired spearsman spoke out once more.

_**"GAE BOLG!"** _

A torrent of energy erupted from the spear's tip, moving in a serpentine like pattern as it made its way towards its target. Seeing this, Karna moved to dodge it.

He quickly realized that it was for naught. For as soon as he moved to the side, the attack quickly bending mid-flight and aimed itself directly at his torso.

***STAB***

"...!"

Piercing through, the spear of red death punctured the white-haired Servant's heart, causing the son of the sun god to stagger.

For the first time since his summoning, someone had managed to penetrate his armor. It was also the first time in a while since his own death that he was able to look upon the color of his own blood. As usual, it was red. Perhaps he shouldn't have been surprised?

Lancer on the other hand...

"Son of a bitch..."

Couldn't have been more furious at his opponent than he was right now.

He was furious because his opponent had survived the killing blow of spear despite having had his heart punctured. From the looks of it, his foe wasn't even bothered by it at all considering the curious look he had on his face as he gazed upon his own wound. Lancer didn't know if he was insulting him on purpose with such an expression, but he was insulted all the same. Perhaps he should have used the _other_ variation instead, but he lacked the ability to do so thanks to the area they fought in not being big enough to allow him to perform it.

On the other hand, he was also grinning rather wildly despite his anger. Why that was? Because right now, he had found himself a most worthy adversary to fight with.

The torrent of energy still resonating within him... Karna grabbed it with his free hand and forcibly yanked it from his torso, not at all bothered by the blood that began flowing down from the wound.

"That was a rather impressive attack, Ireland's Child of Light." He said, revealing that his knowledge of the identity of his fellow Lancer.

"Heh, looks like the secret's out eh?" Lancer chuckled as he scratched the back of his head. "This is pretty bad. If I'm using that move, you're supposed to be dead by now. What kind of hero are you supposed to be? You a god or something?"

When his opponent didn't reply, the blue-haired spearsman only sighed. He had expected that.

"Oh well, I suppose it doesn't really matter now does it?" He twirled his spear and got into a stance, a wild grin on his face as he glared at the white-haired Servant. "Even if you are a god, the fact that you can bleed means that you can die."

Thanks to personal experience and what his teacher taught him, he knew this for a fact. So long as they were still prone to damage, defeat was possible. Hell, his teacher had killed a god herself. If she could do it, then so could he!

"Big words... Can you back them up?"

Karna replied by summoning flames that covered his entire body, the wound on his torso being burned closed. It was the only way he knew how to close it for now as the red spear known as Gae Bolg was a cursed weapon. Any wound it inflicts on a person will not heal, not until the weapon itself has been destroyed. As such, he had to rely on more extreme way of closing his wound. Not that it bothered him much, it was better to have it temporarily gone now than have it be a bother later.

***CLANG***

No more words exchanged between the two of them as their battle quickly resumed, the two spearsmen exchanging a flurry of attacks at high speeds. Ayaka could only watch with baited breath to see who would win between the two Servants.

_'We can't lose here. If it's possible, someone please help...!'_ She silently prayed.

* * *

"Heh~!"

Seated atop a throne that was made out of human skulls with a crystal ball in her hands, Sajyou Manaka watched the ongoing fight between the two Lancers with a smile on her face. There was only so much entertainment one could have while just waiting in the same location for more than half-a-century.

"These two aren't half-bad, they're really something." She commented. What caught her interest the most though was the sight of the blonde-haired girl who remarkably looked a great deal like her little sister Ayaka.

Manaka loved her little sister, having adored her greatly as any big sister should to a younger sibling. She wondered to herself what happened to Ayaka in the last sixty years after her "death". She hadn't been able to keep tabs on her as much as she would like thanks to her being distracted by the various grail wars that soon took place all over the world after the one she participated in.

Was she living well? Had she lived a good life? Did she meet someone who treated her well? All these questions were in the forefront of her mind. She couldn't help but be curious about her little sister. This was the first time in a great deal of time she had thought about her, and now her head was filled with such thoughts.

And now she was witnessing the appearance of a girl who resembled her little sister greatly, the difference being that she blonde hair. Said person being responsible for bringing for what she was thinking about at the moment.

Tohsaka Ayaka... even their first name was the same. She also realized that the name Tohsaka was familiar to her.

"Didn't I kill someone with that name before...? I can't remember~"

Well, it wasn't important. Why bother remembering people who aren't all that important to her in the first place? The only person she was sure to remember forever would be her darling prince! He was the only one she knew who was worth something and would do anything for!

"Ah, Saber~" She smiled, the image on her crystal ball suddenly shifting to reveal Arthur himself. "I really want to see you soon~!"

Before her beloved prince's reappearance, she had tried summoning him herself during the past sixty years. After several tries though, all of which ended in failure, she decided to just wait it out as she knew that he would appear once more whether it was by her doing or someone else's handiwork. Though she did wonder to herself why her attempts ended in failure. Perhaps it was because she lacked the catalyst she once used to summon Saber in the first place?

Well, it didn't matter anyway. Now that Saber was here, why would she bother about it?

It was then that something clicked in her mind.

"Oh! I know~!" An idea came to her in regards to the girl who was like her sister in both name and looks. She knew for a fact that blue-haired Lancer would have lost to the white-haired one should the battle continue the way it currently was, and that would result in the death of both the former as well as the girl. For her, such a scenario would be boring. As such, she decided to do something about that.

"Hehehe~! I think this is going to be fun~!"

* * *

_'What's this strange feeling...?'_

Out in town, Arthur and Jeanne were walking through the streets of Trifas.

At the moment, he and Jeanne decided to end their sessions for the day and decided to patrol the city for the time being. Though she didn't think their would be any fighting any time soon, especially since it was still day time, it was better to be safe than sorry.

During their walk however, the former suddenly came to a stop as he began looking around his surroundings.

"Is something the matter?" Jeanne asked.

"I have this strange feeling right now." He replied. "I feel like that there's something happening, and that I should be there."

"Really? I don't feel any-!"

She quickly fell silent when the sudden presence of a hostile Servant quickly headed their way overtook over her senses. Arthur himself felt the same presence and raised his guard. Looking around themselves, they found nothing. Since they were still in the middle of the city where people were going about their daily business, they both doubted that said hostile Servant would make a move. Still though, they needed to be careful.

_'Where...?'_ Arthur kept looking around. Though presence could be felt, with many people about, it was hard to tell who was who.

He then stopped when he saw who he was looking for. Though her appearance had changed with the disappearance of her ears and tail, Arthur wouldn't mistake the girl that stood not too far from then for anyone else, not after the night where both he and Jeanne had finally arrived in the city for the first time.

"That's...!" The young saint began as she saw the person they were looking for. Her unmistakable golden colored hair and green fringed bangs being what had identified her to the two young heroes. A beautiful looking girl yet quite deadly. As a Heroic Spirit, it was to be expected.

Dressed in casual clothes that wouldn't have looked too out of place on someone with her looks, Atalanta only smirked as she saw that both blondes had finally noticed her presence. She then quickly turned around and began running in the opposite direction.

"Ah! After her...!"

Both the young saint and knight gave chase. What was she doing here? In broad daylight no less? The answer to such a question could only be found out from asking the Chaste Huntress herself.

True to her legend, the huntress was a swift-footed maiden. Having been able to outpace the two blondes rather easily, it came as a surprise to Arthur that he and his Master were able to keep up with her to a degree that they wouldn't lose sight of her.

As they kept running, the young man immediately froze when he noticed something that caught his attention rather easily, allowing himself to fall behind and stop all together.

_'That's...!'_

Said something was actually a young girl who looked to be in her adolescent years. She had blonde hair and wore a light blue dress. She was smiling at him sweetly, pale blue eyes filled with innocence as she gazed upon him.

* * *

"Ah, it looks like they brought it."

From a distance, Shirou Kotomine observed the chase that began between Ruler, Saber, and Archer. Once he heard from Assassin that both were in the city, he needed to distract the two from the ongoing conflict between the Hound of Chulainn and the Son of the Sun God.

"If all goes well, then Lancer should be able to easily deal with that Tohsaka girl and her Servant rather easily."

Assassin spoke as she materialized right next to her Master. There was an amused smile on her face, one that Shirou knew all too well from his time together with the raven-haired beauty. It meant that there was something on her mind that she wanted to ask him.

"What is it this time?"

"Tell me something, why did you try to persuade that girl into joining us again? Could it be that perhaps you and her are...?"

"It's nothing of the sort. I suppose that it's more like I consider her to be a little sister to me." Shirou replied. "My adoptive father happened to be a close friend of her family. I was introduced to them about five years ago when I decided to live in Japan after years away from my homeland. Ayaka was a quiet girl, but somewhat feisty at the same time. We got along well for the most part, at least, that's what I believed it to be."

It pained him to have ordered her death. But since she decided to stand in his way, it was inevitable. And he would not allow his personal relationships with others interfere with his desire to reach his goals. Such was the price of war and conflict.

"What can you tell me about this girl? Is there anything to note?"

"Nothing that would make her a true threat against us other than her Servant." The white-haired priest began. "As a magus, she's not all that skilled in the art aside from mastering a few spells that would prove useful such as increasing her movement speed to avoid certain dangers. Her family practices jewel magecraft, but she in particular uses an old form of magic known as witchcraft taught to her by her grandmother. Even then, it's useless when pitted against Servants and magi of higher skill than she is."

"Witchcraft? Now that _is_ quite old." The Assyrian Queen mused. "I suppose she really wouldn't be a threat to us the way she is right now."

"Indeed, but I rather not take any chances." Shirou replied. "With her here, there's only one possible reason why I think she would come to this city."

"Meeting with Ruler isn't she?" She stated before a smirk grew on her face. "This is why I told you before that you should have sent Lancer with Berserker instead of Archer back in England to attack Ruler. Look where your decisions have gotten us now."

Shirou did not reply to his Servant's statement, though the look of grimace on his face said otherwise.

* * *

Unknown to the duo, another person was observing them from a safe distance as well.

"Hmph, so what that woman said was true."

Leaning against a tree as he stood on one of its branches, as well as being dressed in his civilian clothes, was Archer of Red. His arms were crossed and an amused smirk was on his face as he listened in on the conversation between the young priest and the Assyrian Queen. Thanks to his class abilities, he was able to make out the conversation between the two, despite not being able to hear it, by watching their lip movements. And in doing so, he had confirmed Ruler's accusations against the young priest.

Though he disliked Ruler, he had given his word that he would at least keep an eye out for the man known as Shirou Kotomine. As a man, a hero, and a king, he was honor bound to follow through with what he said. And in doing so, he found a rather joyous piece of information for himself.

"Interesting. So there's a battle going on without anyone's notice? Perhaps I should go take a look then."

Nothing more was said as he went into spirit form, a smirk on his face as thought about his next move.

* * *

"Stop right there!"

Coming to a halt at an off-limits sector of the industrial complex of the city, Atalanta turned around and faced Ruler who demanded her to stop. She smirked briefly as she did so, having completed the task given to her. As per her orders, she had led Ruler far away from the location where the fight between her ally Lancer and his opponent were having their battle.

"What's the matter Ruler? Has all this running tired you out?"

"Your taunts are meaningless." Jeanne retorted. "Answer me right now. What are you doing here?"

"Taking a stroll. There's nothing inherently wrong with that is there?" A dry reply came from the Chaste Huntress, one that only caused the young saint to frown in annoyance. She should have expected some lip from the golden-haired woman considering the two of them were currently enemies.

"You know as well as I do that you're not here for just a walk in the park." Jeanne took a step forward clenching her hands into fists. "If you don't wish to answer me, then you leave me no choice but to take you down here. As an aberration in this Holy Grail War, I'm afraid your existence is one that I cannot allow to roam free. Especially considering that you and your ally Lancer attacked me the other night."

"You wish to fight me then? In broad daylight?"

"If need be, then I will. If circumstance doesn't allow for it, then I'll just have to wait until night falls." Jeanne simply stated. The Chaste Huntress could only look at her somewhat incredulously at this. That meant that Ruler was willing wait for a few more hours until sunset for the two of them to fight.

The blonde herself pondered the idea of chasing her into the outskirts of the city were there weren't too many people around to see them fight. Then again, considering her allies, doing so may have only lead her into a trap. Thus, she would have to settle for keeping her here for the time being. She also noticed that the place they were in was actually the same place where Archer of Red fought the rogue Berserker. The debris and wreckage created during that night still being where they were.

"Hmm...?" It was only then that Atalanta noticed something off since arriving at the docks.

"So then, it's just going to be you and me is it?"

"Eh?" Hearing that, and after looking around her surroundings, Jeanne finally noticed that Arthur had gotten separated from her. She didn't know when and why it happened, but for some reason it did.

What she found strange about it was the fact that they got separated from each other in the first place. As Servants they had abilities that could allow them to easily track individuals, especially those they have a connection to such as their Masters.

_"Arthur! Where are you...!?"_ She telepathically called out only for her question to go unanswered. There was also the fact that for some reason, while she could still feel him existing somewhere thanks to their connection, it felt really distant at the same time. What in the world happened to him?

* * *

Earlier...

Arthur stood still, completely in shock at the sight of the blonde-haired girl standing only a few meters away from him.

_'Manaka...!?'_

How was it possible? Surely the girl in front of him was just someone who looked like her? According to his own knowledge, over half-a-century had passed since his last summoning. Even if she was alive, she should have looked like an old woman by now!

"Hehe...!" Giggling, the girl began running farther away from him and into a corner.

"W-Wait...!"

Giving chase, the white knight turned the corner only to find the girl had disappeared from sight. How was that possible? He felt her presence where he stood just now!

"Over here~!"

Looking ahead, he saw the little girl now standing at another corner waving her hands at him and motioning him to follow her.

This time using capabilities as a Servant, Arthur closed the gap between the two of them as she turned the corner. It was for naught however as he looked around once more and found the girl waving his arms at him.

Such an act implied that she knew who he was. And the fact that she somehow moved so quickly to another location implied something supernatural about her. However, he was still not yet convinced. He needed to make sure, and if playing cat and mouse for the time being was going to help lead to him catching the girl, then so be it.

His former Master was mad enough to endanger the entire world once. He could only imagine the consequences of what would happen if she were to roam free with the current grail war going on as it is. Though he hated the idea of leaving Jeanne by herself, he knew that she was both smart and strong enough to take care of herself. He just hoped that she wouldn't run into any trouble that she couldn't handle on her own.

_'If it really is her, then I will not allow her to be a threat!'_

With his goal set, the white knight continued chasing the lookalike of Manaka throughout the city.

* * *

"Lancer!"

"Tch!"

Using his spear as a crutch, Lancer panted slightly as he glared at his white-haired foe. Much time had passed since the two Servants of the Spear began their fight, and the former eventually found himself on the defensive due to the latter's mysterious invulnerability to his attacks. Lancer could only wonder to himself just who in the world the man in front was.

"I suppose that this is where it ends for you." Karna began. Though it was brief, he found the blue-haired spearsman to be a worthy adversary. He was the first to injure him in this conflict, and together with the King of Knights, and perhaps Saber of Black, was able to keep up with him despite his advantages over most.

"I ain't dead yet punk...!" Lancer groaned out as he pulled himself together. Losing to the person in front of him wasn't on his list of goals for the day. His pride as a warrior and as Servant wouldn't allow it, not with his Master's life on the line.

***SLASH***

Cutting down several incoming feather like projectiles, the white-haired Servant then let his gaze fall upon the blonde girl responsible for said feathers. Who herself was currently frozen in fear as a result of his response to her attack.

"Were you perhaps thinking of aiding your Servant? A brave yet futile gesture, I commend you for it." He praised.

"Please, just let us go!" Ayaka begged. "Why do you even follow that person!? His wish for the grail has a high chance of bringing ruin to the world!"

"And what if it does?" Karna replied, surprising Ayaka with his indifference. "Whether or not my Master chooses to bring ruin to the world or to save it, I will follow him because I have already given my word that I will."

"Heh! So you're the type who's loyal to the end huh?" Lancer smirked, knowing for himself what such a life was. "I think I can understand you a little better now."

"Geez, you're really taking your sweet time aren't you?"

"Eh? Ah...!"

"Wha-!? Shit...!"

Having been preoccupied with his current opponent, Lancer was unable to notice in time the arrival of another Servant dressed in green clothing and a matching cloak and currently had a grip around Ayaka's neck with one of his arms and his free hand aiming his crossbow at the blue-haired spearsman.

"Archer."

"Boss man thought you were taking too long, so he sent me to help you out." Archer stated before turning his attention to Lancer. "Sorry about this, but it's your own fault that your Master got caught up in this situation. You should've been more alert dog boy."

"Those sound like fighting words to me!" The blue-haired spearsman growled in anger at being called a dog. "You call yourself a Heroic Spirit? Leave the girl alone and let's duke it out just between the three of us like real heroes! Or are you too much of a coward to do it?"

"Sorry, but that ain't my cup of tea." The rogue casually replied. "Cowardly or not, if fighting dirty means I can win, then so be it. I'll be the one laughing in the end anyway."

"Why you...!" Lancer stepped forward only for Karna to have blocked his path with his spear at the ready. "Get out of my way dammit!"

The white-haired Servant didn't reply. Though he didn't approve of Archer's aid and having wished to continue his bout with the Hound of Chulainn, the former's words reminded him of his duty and thus decided to go along with his comrade's plan for now.

Helpless, Ayaka had tears in her eyes. She was going to die wasn't she? Lancer stood no chance against two Servants, especially in his current condition. Her eyes quickly widened in fear when she suddenly felt herself being lifted from the neck and saw Archer's crossbow aimed at her skull.

"You should've taken up the boss' offer kid. Good luck in the next life I suppose."

_'Please, somebody help me...!'_

***SLASH***

"AARRGH!"

Having closed her eyes waiting for the killing blow, the blonde-haired girl realized that it never came as she heard Archer suddenly scream out in pain. Slowly opening them, her eyes grew wide once more as she another person holding her with one of his arms rather protectively while the other wielded a rather ornate sword.

Dressed in white armor and blue clothing, and together with his handsome face, blonde hair, and green eyes, Ayaka thought of him as the ideal prince that her grandmother would often talk to her about during her bedtime stories as a child. The one that her grandmother's older sister had summoned when she participated in the Holy Grail War all those years ago.

"Are you alright?" He smiled at her.

"Eh?" Such an act caused the younger blonde to blush as the white knight set her down on the ground gently.

"It's going to be alright now." He said as he turned his gaze towards Archer and the white-haired Lancer. "It's been a while Archer, Lancer. I was wondering when both of you would show your faces once more. I can see that both of you are working together."

"Son of a bitch...! You took my hand!"

Indeed, the red-haired rogue's right hand was now severed and currently laid itself upon the ground in a pool of blood. Using his cloak, he temporarily he covered the stump that was left before even more blood could pour out, the forest colored cloak now being soaked crimson.

"Indeed. Consider that payback for trying to take my Master's life once before. Now I shall be taking your life for full recompense."

Chasing the lookalike of Manaka throughout the city took longer than he thought it would. He eventually lost track of her much to his own ire, but it quickly went away when he felt the presence of three different Servants gathered together not too far from his location. He quickly moved and soon found the individuals known as Karna and Robin Hood together up against another Servant and a girl who strangely enough reminded him of someone.

Said someone was Manaka, but when Arthur got in close and rescued her from Archer's clutches, he realized that it was because the girl looked more like an older version of Manaka's little sister whom he knew as Ayaka, only she blonde hair much like the former. He thought to himself that such a resemblance could not be a coincidence, especially with the appearance of a girl he thought to be his former Master herself in the city. As such he suspected that the girl was related to what he had seen.

But seeing the completely frightened look on her face as she was about to die by Archer's hands, he quickly knew that the girl was innocent. At the very least, he would save her from the two Servants that attacked his Master once before and then ask her about what he had seen if possible.

"Heh!" Leaping over to the two, Lancer grinned as began speaking to Saber.

"Thanks for that, I owe you big time." He said, glancing at Ayaka and relieved that she was okay.

"I have a lot of questions for both you and your Master." Arthur began, not taking his gaze away from the other two Servants. "If you wish to repay me, then both of you will answer whatever she will ask."

"Straight to business eh? I can follow that." The blue-haired spearsman smirked as he twirled his spear.

Seeing this, the rogue archer only gritted his teeth. Now they had two Servants as opponents and he had right hand severed. Just what the hell was Saber doing here in the first place!? Wasn't the princess suppose to lure both him and Ruler away from here!?

"Tch...! I'm outta here!" Knowing that he couldn't do much in his current state, Archer grabbed his severed hand and leaped into the sky, deciding to retreat into spirit form.

He was, however, stopped when out of nowhere a golden motorcycle appeared and crashed into him from behind as he was in the air.

"Gargh!" The impact caused the red-headed Archer to be sent flying into a brick wall, crashing into it and then falling into a pile of garbage.

Looking towards the rider of said motorcycle, Arthur widened his eyes in an incredulous fashion as he recognized the rider of the two-wheeled vehicle. Despite wearing a helmet and dressing in casual clothes, he knew at first glance who it was. There was no mistaking the aura that accompanied the Servant who considered himself to be the greatest in this war.

"Hmph, a rat attempting to flee after deciding to interfere in a duel between heroes is simply unacceptable." He began, removing his helmet and allowing his blonde hair to be revealed. His red eyes glaring at the downed rogue with contempt. "Such an act needs to be punished, prepare yourself."

"A-Archer!?" How on earth did he appear like that with a motorcycle no less!?

Hearing his class title spoken, Archer of Red glanced at the white knight and smirked.

"Greetings Saber, you're looking rather stupefied for one who calls himself the King of Knights." He said. "I heard of the commotion and decided to see for myself what was happening. Needless to say, it seems that there are now two arrivals in this Holy Grail War."

Gazing momentarily at both Ayaka and Lancer, Archer of Red then turned his attention towards the other spear wielding Servant, who currently had his guard up at the unexpected appearance of the former.

"Hmm? You are...?"

"..."

Karna could only stare at the red-eyed man in front of him in silence. His Master had informed him about the identity of the Servant before him. He knew of powerful he could be given his identity as the King of Heroes. He could only wonder what would happen if the two of them fought... who would be the winner?

Though he felt insulted at not having his question answered, Archer of Red himself more curious about the armor that other Servant was wearing. At first glance, he was able to pinpoint that it wasn't of human origin. There was an otherworldly feel to it, one that he was all too familiar with. That was all he needed to know that it was an armor that was created by the gods. They were the only ones who could give off such a sensation.

And thanks to the information provided to him by both Rider and his Master, he also knew that the white-haired Servant was also the same one who attacked both Ruler and Saber after the two had arrived in the city a few nights ago.

"Urgh...!" Hearing the rat groan, the Golden King turned his attention back towards the red-haired rogue who stood up from the pile.

"Hoh? So the rat is still alive?" He smirked.

"Call me a rat will you...!?" Angered by the former's insult, Archer pulled out his crossbow and aimed it at his counterpart. Though a part of him was telling him to run away, the enraged parts of his mind overtook his common sense.

"Hmph, you're not even worth my time." Gilgamesh declared as ten portals of light appeared around him. "Begone now."

"...!"

There wasn't even time to scream in pain when Archer suddenly found himself being impaled by numerous types of weaponry. One by one, he was quickly stabbed again and again, the sound of his flesh being impaled and blood spilling could be heard all too easily by the those present. Thankfully for Ayaka's sake, she was unable to see the actual sight as a dust cloud form around where Archer was being attacked.

By the time it cleared up, nothing but a crater was left where Archer had stood. Seeing this, the blonde-haired girl could only wonder in fear just who in the world the red-eyed Archer was. As far as she knew, those weapons were most certainly Noble Phantasms. They could be nothing else. For an individual to have so many, just who was he!?

"Hmph, he didn't even last more than three seconds." The Golden King smirked. "How pathetic, for one such as him to be called a hero... standards of what one should be like have dropped considerably I suppose."

"Uh, I don't think anyone would be able to survive _that_ so easily." Lancer pointed out. Even he was slightly disturbed by how casually the new Archer had eliminated his counterpart by impaling him to death with numerous weapons. It actually of reminded him of his teacher somewhat whenever she was angered.

Seeing that he was outnumbered, Karna pondered the idea of releasing his Noble Phantasm and quickly dealing a decisive blow to all three at the same time, or deciding to retreat for now. Though he wasn't what one would call boastful, he doubted that even he would be able to stand up against three Servants, two of whom were a match for him on a martial aspect and the other being the oldest Heroic Spirit in history.

_"Lancer, I order you to retreat."_ His Master's voice echoed throughout his mind. _"There is no longer any point in staying there."_

_"What about the girl?"_

_"Forget her. I doubt that even you would be able to stand up to the combined might of those three."_ Shirou replied, and it was clear from his tone of voice that he was irritated by how his plan for that day was derailed. _"Come back to the garden, Angelica will fill you in on your next assignment."_

_"Alright then."_

Hearing this, the white-haired Servant nodded. Quickly seizing the chance, he produced a burst of flames below his feet and jumped away from the trio.

"H-Hey! You just running away like that...!?" Lancer didn't get his reply as his counterpart sped away and dissolved into spirit form. The blue-haired spearsman was about to give chase, but was stopped when Saber had placed a hand on his shoulder.

"Leave him be. For now, you should focus on making sure your Master is alright." He said, gesturing to the blonde haired girl who was still on the ground. Somewhat dazed as a result of everything she had witnessed.

"Tch...! I guess you have a point." He clicked his tongue as he planted his spear into the pavement, scratching the back of his head in annoyance. He was having a great time fighting against that guy, why'd he have to turn tail like that?

"Hmph, this is the second time he has decided to withdraw hasn't it?" Archer of Red questioned the white knight, who looked at him response. "Pray tell King of Knights, what can you tell me about that man?"

"I'm not actually all that familiar with his legend, but I know that his name is Karna. Does that help you?"

"The child of the sun god Surya?" The Golden King muttered in both bewilderment and excitement, grinning wildly at this new piece of information given to him. "I see then. Perhaps a truly worthy adversary has finally shown himself to me at last."

"I see that you're quite obsessed with that." Arthur commented.

"But of course. This Holy Grail War is a once in a lifetime opportunity for heroes such as ourselves to be able to gather like this and battle to the death. What kind of fool would pass up such an opportunity to revel in it?" He stated to the knight.

Arthur shook his head at this, giving a disapproving look towards the King of Heroes. He knew all too well his type, having encountered such people when he was alive. Well, at least for now Gilgamesh was on their side. He supposed that it was better than having him as an enemy.

"Well then, considering that there's nothing holding me here anymore..." With snap of his fingers, the helmet he wore earlier reappeared over Archer's head in a flash of golden light. He then momentarily glanced at Lancer, who himself giving him a stare. Though he was curious to know more about the Hound of Chulainn whose existence he was able to guess as an outsider of the holy grail war, he decided that he would learn it at a later date.

After all, today was the first time he had actually ridden his brand new treasure. Though he probably had similar constructs within his treasury, there was just something about the motorcycle that he had Reines buy for him the other day. As such, he decided to take it out for a spin now that he had accomplished what he had set out to do for the day.

"Farewell for now King of Knights, we'll see each other again soon." With that, the golden king sped away on his new vehicle.

* * *

That afternoon, near sunset...

"Ah! I finally found you!"

Coming across the lot that was now filled to brim with the scars of battle, Jeanne found Arthur sitting together two other people, one of them being a Servant.

Much like the others, she lacked a connection to the one in front of her, whom she identified as a Lancer-Class Servant. However, considering that Arthur was with them and not fighting, it meant that they were likely friendly.

"Jeanne-"

...!

Before Arthur had even realized it, the former quickly closed the distance between the two them and bopped him over the head with her shoe. Well, Laeticia's shoe to be precise. It was an act that surprised both Ayaka and Lancer.

"Why did you run off like that!?" The young saint demanded from him in a fretful tone. "What happened? Where did you go? Do you know how worried I was? And who are they supposed to be?"

Under barrage of questions, Arthur could only smile slightly as he expected this and raised both his hands in front of him in an apologetic way.

"I'm sorry, I know I shouldn't have done that." He began, shame filling his voice. "Something came up, but I suppose that's not excuse. I purposely left you, my Master, on your own. As a Knight, I have failed in my oath to always stand by your side. If wish to punish me, then so be it."

"W-Well, I wouldn't go that far..."

Jeanne replied, looking somewhat troubled by his reaction. Her irritation at the young man disappearing within that brief moment.

She shook her head, she'd get her answers later. For now though...

"So then, who are these two?"

The young saint asked, gazing towards the blue-haired Servant the girl who was presumably his Master.

"Aren't you supposed to already know that?" Lancer quipped with a smirk. "So much for Ruler-Class Servants being able to know things right off the bat I suppose."

"Lancer shush!"

The blonde-haired teen beside him reprimanded. The young saint could only stare at the two in bewilderment. Here before her was another Servant who lacked a connection her. That brought up the count of rogue Servants up to six... Just what in the world could allow such a thing to happen?

"I'll answer your questions. But first, I must ask if you're alright. What happened between you and Archer?" Arthur replied.

Sighing, the young saint placed both hands on her hips and spoke.

"She got away. I confronted her briefly just before I realized you disappeared, but then she ran off again and I gave chase. I quickly lost her, and tried to use my abilities to find her but to no avail. She must've already gone outside my range of detection by the time I tried to."

"I see. Then it's also my fault for not helping you catch her. My apologies." He hanged his head in shame once more.

"Don't be, it's all in the past now." She smiled at him. "Anyway, these two are...?"

With that, the white knight began to explain the situation to the young saint whose eyes grew wide at the mention of Karna appearing once more. And the fact that Archer of Red himself had taken down Robin Hood was another surprise in itself. To think that she missed such an important event.

This must've been the reason why Atalanta had chosen to suddenly appear before the two of them earlier that day, to lure both away so that her allies could be rid of the girl and the new Lancer before Jeanne could meet either of them.

Said thoughts aside, with the red-haired rogue known as Robin Hood now dead, it meant that she could allow herself to relax somewhat. That left at least only four rogues left to deal with. Karna, Atalanta, Sir Lancelot, and the masked Rider Servant.

"Heh, so that's who that red-eyed guy was?" Lancer suddenly spoke up, a growing smirk on his face. "That Gilgamesh?"

"Yes." Arthur nodded in reply.

"Talk about a small world, to meet someone like him here of all places. That explains the number of noble phantasms he used." The Hound of Chulainn grinned momentarily before he caught Ruler staring at him. "What? is there something on my face or something?"

"No, not at all."

She replied, using her abilities to identify him. So many great heroes from ages long past were now gathered together in the city of Trifas. And now standing before her was Cu Chulainn, one of Ireland's greatest heroes also known as the Child of Light.

"Now that I think about it, I haven't asked you your name yet." Arthur began as he gazed at the blonde-haired girl who was Lancer's Master.

"A-Ah right! M-M-My name is...!"

She stuttered, embarrassed thanks to smile the former was giving off as he spoke to her. The fact that she felt a blush appear on her face didn't help matters at all. Jeanne saw this and subconsciously frowned at the sight.

Taking a deep breath, Ayaka regained her composure and spoke.

"My name is Tohsaka Ayaka, I am Lancer's Master."

She stated, causing Jeanne to look at her in surprise. According to the information provided by the grail, the Tohsaka were one of the three founding families that created the grail wars in the first place. Meeting one of their descendants here... was it coincidence or something else?

Arthur himself was surprised for a different reason. He had expected her to say Sajyou, but perhaps he was wrong and that the girl was unrelated? No, the resemblance was just too uncanny. Perhaps she was still related to his former Master, just having a different name. He would need to find out about it later.

"I've been meaning to have a meeting with you for a while Ruler-san. Please, will you listen to what I have to say?"

Having heard her speak her mind, the young saint contemplated her request. At the moment, there was just too many things going that didn't make any sense. The girl in front of her may hold the answers she had been seeking this entire time. If so, then hearing her out would have been the best option available to her.

Then there was the cynical side of her that said that she shouldn't. Whatever the girl had to say could have been a lie. What's to stop her from doing so? Perhaps what had transpired was all part of an act to deceive her. One could never know.

However, the young saint already knew what her answer was going to be. Though she didn't know the girl known as Tohsaka Ayaka all that well, she would at least hear her out as it she deserved a chance to be listened to.

"Very well then, I'll listen." Jeanne replied, smiling at the girl's reaction who looked quite relieved that she accepted. "But before any of that, we should find a safer place to have our discussion."

"Follow me, I think I know somewhere where we can talk."

With that, the group of Jeanne, Arthur, Ayaka, and Lancer left the lot.

* * *

"Ahaha! It worked~!"

Smiling in satisfaction, Manaka leaned back on her throne as she thought about her success. With this, she would be able to witness more from the girl known as Tohsaka Ayaka. She believed that her and Lancer together with both Saber and Ruler would make for an excellent show of entertainment for now.

There was also the plus that she was able to play with Saber himself for a little while.

"It felt like we were lovers chasing each other... Ahahahaha~!"

Squealing like the little girl that she was, one could say that Sajyou Manaka was a nothing more than a normal girl her age at that point. Sadly, that could never be the case for one such as her who was wrapped within her own set of delusions.

"Saber~" She began as though the white knight was in front of her, looking up towards the cavern ceiling in the process. "Be sure to stay alive until we reunite okay~? I'll be really upset if something happens to you~"

* * *

That night, inside Shirou's room at the Red Faction villa, he and Assassin were currently contemplating the results of the day's events. The latter made sure that no one could eavesdrop on the two of them

"Another failure..."

Clenching his fists, Shirou uncharacteristically punched a wall hard enough that he fist went through the concrete material. Seeing this, an amused smile appeared on Assassin's beautiful face as she began speaking to her Master.

"I suppose this failure isn't entirely your fault." She said. "Lancer did decide to toy around with the girl's dog instead of going directly for her in the first place. It would have been in our favor had chosen to follow his brain instead of his lust for battle."

"I am in no mood for your games." The young priest declared, glaring at his Servant who merely smiled even more at him in response.

"Oh my, such an adorable look you have on your face Master." Assassin teased, causing Shirou to merely sigh as he walked towards the door. "Oh? Where are you going?"

"Making sure that our plans don't fall apart now that Tohsaka Ayaka has made contact with Ruler herself." He replied, but before he could take another step forward, Assassin suddenly appeared right in front of him.

"What are you-!?" He was caught off guard when his Servant had placed a finger on his forehead. The young priest then suddenly found himself feeling rather drowsy, stumbling back onto the bed within the room and being forcible laid down on his back by the Assyrian Queen.

"Just sleep for now Master, I'll take care of the rest." She said. Though she was amused by his reactions earlier, she knew that he was starting to feel rather tense thanks to the latest events that were happening. She could not approve of that, and as such, decided to take matters into her own hands. Bed rest did anyone who was feeling the same as he did some good. Even as he was, the same would still apply to him.

"I have no time for this...!"

"There's a time and place for everything. For now, you should rest." She responded, sounding rather mature and unlike the person Shirou had come to know personally. And knowing her, she probably wouldn't allow him to do anything else other than what she told him.

"Fine then... have it your way." He relented. "However, wake me up should something happen."

"Hehe! I'm glad to hear you say that."

* * *

"Che...! How pathetic a guy Archer was!"

Out in the city, in the very same empty lot where Ruler had her met with Tohsaka Ayaka for the first time, a girl with messy hair tied into pigtails was looking around the pavement while clearing away whatever got in her way with her feet. She wore something of a Gothic-Lolita ensemble with an umbrella in her right hand.

"Dammit, why do I have to do this when I could be sleeping in my bed!? I could be dreaming about Lord Julian's right about now! Ah~! Lord Julian~!" She said, a rather ecstatic expression forming on her face she spoke about the latter. Though he had yet to return her affections, she was sure that one day it would happen.

She snapped out of it when she found what she had been looking for since she arrived at the spot.

Holding it in her hand, the moonlight that shined down upon the girl revealed that the thing in her hand was a card that held the image of a woman dressed in armor holding up a bow and arrow aimed above her. The word ARCHER could be read from the bottom of the image.

"Asshole, you know the trouble you caused me? Don't go dying so easily damn it. Aren't you supposed to be a hero or something? Geez..." She spoke to it as though it were a person before sliding down inside of her pockets. And in doing, so she quickly perked up.

"At least now I can go back to my bed and sleep for the night. Lord Julian, wait for me in my dreams~!"

With that, the girl ran off into the night with a manic grin on her face.

* * *

"This is where you're staying at...?"

Arriving at the hotel, Jeanne and Arthur hadn't expected to see a hotel suite be the lodgings of the girl in front of them. The building itself wasn't extraordinarily large or anything, nor was the room they were in extravagantly designed. However, it was enough that it went against the of rural image of the city.

"Ahaha...! Well, since I didn't have any money on me when I arrived here, I had to hypnotize the staff into giving a room." Ayaka revealed, somewhat embarrassed as she placed a hand behind her head. "And just so you know, I didn't ask for this suite. This was the only free spot where they could put me in."

"Not that I'm complaining, this place has free drinks~!" Lancer called out with a grin and a bottle in his hand. Currently, the blue-haired man himself was sprawled upon the large sofa that was placed before a large television screen. Though Trifas was a city that was somewhat behind in current times, it still had places like this were people of rich modernity could live well enough as they would in their personal homes.

A little while later, Ayaka, Jeanne, and Arthur were seated around a table. Lancer was still laying about on the sofa while watching television, paying no heed to the conversation that was about to begin as he knew that his Master would have been able to explain it all by herself.

"Right then, you wanted to speak with me?" The young saint began.

"Yes. I believe that you may already know this, but there is someone manipulating the holy grail war from behind the scenes. He is the one behind the appearances of the rogue Servants that you encountered before as well as the one we fought today."

"Indeed, his name is Shirou Kotomine is it not?" Jeanne replied as Ayaka nodded. "I thought so, it seems the information from the grail was correct."

"Kotomine-san is... well I suppose I wouldn't call him a bad person." As much as she didn't want to admit it, Shirou was indeed a good person to the core. "However, the main problem is that while he has good intentions, his methods are rather extreme."

"The path to hell is often paved with good intentions." Arthur mused as both girls looked at him. "Oh, don't mind me. Please, continue."

"Right, before we talk about that man, why don't you explain to me something else first?" Jeanne suggested. That topic could wait for now. What she was really curious about was something else entirely.

"About what?" Following Ruler's gaze, she noticed that she was staring at Lancer. Currently, he was watching a show called  _Thunder Cats_  with an amused smile on his face.

"How is it that you and that person could summon and have control over Servants outside of the grail's influence?" She asked. "As a Ruler-Class Servant, I've been summoned by the grail itself in order to mediate this war. As part of this task, I have an innate connection towards all those summoned to fight through the Command Spells given to me. Yet your Lancer and the other rogues lack such a connection. Could you care to explain that to me?"

"Ah, I thought as much... you really would want to know about that wouldn't you?" Ayaka commented, having somewhat expected it. "Alright then, I'll explain it as best as I can. Though it may take a while, and I don't even understand the full concept myself."

"Please, take your time. Any information you provide us would be most helpful." Jeanne replied with a smile.

"Perhaps I should make us something to drink?" Arthur suggested, looking at the glasses wearing blonde while continuing. "Considering what you said, I believe coffee would do you both some good in order to keep you awake."

"Both of us?" Ayaka wondered aloud, staring at the young saint as a result. Why would a Servant need to drink coffee?

"Don't think about it too much, my Master merely has special needs is all." He smiled.

"Wait a minute, what's with that sort of wording?" Jeanne pouted at him in annoyance. What Arthur said just now made her sound like a strange person. Seeing the smile on his face, she concluded that Arthur said that on purpose in order to get rise out of her, meaning he was teasing her again.

In retrospect, he succeeded in his task as the young saint began to chastise her partner with a lecture.

"Listen Arthur, you can't say things like that about others or else you'll cause misunderstandings...!"

"Haha, my apologies."

And so the night went on...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> About Gae Bolg bypassing Karna's armor. Considering that the spear reverses causality in such a way that it has already stabbed a targets heart the moment its name is called out, I think it's possible. That, and the armor doesn't actually make Karna invincible. But considering it's Karna, he just doesn't give a damn about having his heart being pierced XP If you guys read the original, then you know that he can survive much worse.


	11. Act I-11: Truth and Alliances

Stepping out of the room that belonged to her Master, Assassin of Red crossed her arms and smiled as she saw someone standing in front of her.

"Can I help you with something King of Heroes?"

"Hmph, so you already know my identity?" Archer replied as he leaned against the wall. "Perhaps you can answer a question of mine then in exchange."

"If you're going to ask me to lay with you in bed, I will have to decline." She stated in response, causing the former to look at her incredulously with a hint of annoyance. "Oh my? So it's not that after all?"

"Hmph! As if I would lay with a vile woman such as yourself." The Golden King stated in an unamused tone. "Were it not for the fact that I have questions for you woman, I would have taken your life for such a slight. Truly, your presence reminds me of that _wench_."

Assassin knew whom he was talking about, the way he was referring to her was filled with a tranquil yet venomous rage.

"Ah, it matters not many times it's been done. To be compared to goddess, truly there is no greater compliment for one such as I." She smiled even more so while the red-eyed blonde continued to glare at her. After all, what woman other than Ishtar herself could get such a rise out of the King of Heroes? "Well then God-King of Uruk, pray tell what have you come to me for at this time if not lay with me?"

"Do not try to play games with me, you know _exactly_ what I'm referring to."

"Is that so...?" Assassin muttered in surprise. Not at the fact that she and her Master had been discovered, but more on the fact that judging from the tone the Golden King used, his words implied that only he had known about the fact and that he had yet to inform the others in the Red Faction about it. The question running through her mind at the moment was why?

"Come, we meet in the cellar." The red-eyed blonde stated as he motioned the Assyrian Queen to follow.

* * *

"Hmm..."

That night, out in the city of Trifas, Fiore Forvedge Yggdmillennia inspected the area around her. Behind her, holding on to her wheelchair for her, was none other than Archer of Black. Currently, both were in the middle of an empty lot that was filled to the brim with the signs of a battle having recently taken place there.

Earlier that day, the young girl had received a report from one of her familiars of strange occurrences happening within the city. She believed it to have been the result of a Servant's movement. As such, she decided to investigate the situation after asking permission from her grandfather. Though Darnic was skeptical about letting her off by herself and with Archer as her only companion, he relented which currently to led her situation.

 _'Clearly, something big happened here.'_ Fiore thought.

She knew for a fact that earlier that day all the Servants of Black had remained within the confines of the castle with the exception of Julian's Assassins. However, the latter were ordered to remain hidden while they observed the surroundings.

There was also the fact that the damage to the surroundings implied someone else entirely. Assassins fought best from the shadows, leaving no trace of their existence as they approach their mark and go in for the kill.

"What do you think Archer? What would you make of all this?"

"From how deep the indentations are and how they are all placed, I believe that the ones responsible for this were spear wielders." Archer suggested, deciding to mimic wielding one of his own in order to better demonstrate it to his Master. "A swords or perhaps an axe could easily leave the same type of marks, but there are differences in their ability to damage solid material such as this."

Fiore nodded in understanding. As expected of one who was regarded as a great teacher of heroes, his words held a modicum of sense to them that she was able to agree with her Servant instantly.

The question now was who was responsible for all this?

Lancer of Black had stationed himself at the castle all day. That only left two, one of which was Lancer of Red. The other would have been the rogue Lancer-Class Servant that her Uncle Gordes had encountered during that one night where he met with Ruler and her Servant. And according to information from her grandfather that was provided by Ruler herself, said Lancer was not alone as there were at least four more Servants like him.

Did that mean that the Red Faction had gotten into a conflict with the rogue Lancer and his associates again? That was the only conclusion that the girl could come to at the moment. And if so, what was the result of said conflict? Did the Red Faction lose on of their own? Or did the former manage to take down one of the rogues themselves? Such questions riddled the brunette's mind.

 _'If there's one thing I'm sure about this Holy Grail War, is that the existence of these rogues are going to be a problem.'_ She wondered to herself why her grandfather wouldn't want to deal with the rogues first before dealing with the Red Faction. With their combined might and resources, she was sure that the rogue Servants could have easily been dealt with by now.

Alas, she believed it to have been a futile thing to aspire to. Her grandfather had festered within him a great dislike for the Mage's Association, and working together with its members in defeating the third party must've been something that his pride wouldn't allow him to do. Add to the fact that perhaps he believed that by allowing the existence of the rogues to continue, perhaps their interference would result in withering down the strength of the Red Faction little by little.

There was logic in such a plan, but for Fiore, she believed it to be pointless. There were too many unknowns in regards to the rogue Servants and whoever they were working with. It was better if they tried to find ways in dealing with the current problem now rather than later.

 _'Perhaps I could speak with Ruler and Lord El-Melloi II about this?'_ Ruler could use her authority to once more perform another ceasefire, and in that time, Fiore could go to Waver Velvet himself and ask for a temporary alliance. She believed that the former would agree to this thanks to her duties and personal history with the rogues having attempted in taking her life twice already. The latter as well since she knew him to be a reasonable person thanks her time at the Clock Tower before the Yggdmillennia clan had decided to cut its ties with the Association.

The main problem with this was that she believed that her grandfather would not take kindly to her suggestion. She was especially afraid of what would happen should she decide to go behind his back and go through with it and his reaction later. Though she knew that he cared for her the most within the family, he was not above punishing her severely should she ever go step out of line. That much she knew.

"Master!"

"Eh...?"

Before she even realized it, Archer quickly stepped right in front of her as he struck down an incoming projectile aimed and headed straight for Fiore's head, using the sword crafted by Caster in order to perform the act. Looking down at said projectile, Fiore saw that it wasn't she thought it would be. For one, it wasn't a bullet or an arrow or anything of the like.

It was a human finger bone.

Quickly, the green-haired archer scanned the area for the perpetrator behind the attempt on his Master's life. It wasn't too long before he spotted a thuggish looking man standing atop a roof looking rather annoyed. Beside him, stood Saber of Red in her armored regalia.

"Tch, should have known that Archer would have intercepted that."

Clicking his tongue in annoyance, Kairi lowered the sniper rifle he had and raised both his handgun and shotgun instead. The former was a Mauser C96 and the latter was an ordinary looking sawed-off shotgun, both modified to his suit his own purposes, said purposes meant being made to accommodate his unique brand of ammunition. After all, why buy bullets when you could use the remains of others to do the same thing?

"Hmph, I prefer it this way." Mordred stated. "Killing a person up close and personal is far more honorable than just shooting them from afar like a coward."

Earlier that day, she and her Master had gone out on patrol in order to keep an eye out for any movements from the Black Faction. They were both about to head back to the villa when they spotted the girl whom her Master had identified as Fiore Forvedge Yggdmillennia, one of the Masters of Black. As expected, she had her Servant alongside her, and that alone proved to the blonde that the day wasn't going to be spent as one of boredom.

"I knew you would say that." Kairi replied with a shrug as he saw Archer aim his bow at them. He cursed himself for leaving behind the hydra poison he had gotten sometime ago back at the villa. With Archer of Black's identity having been revealed to them by Lancer, he knew that it would have worked easily on the former.

"Well then, do your thing. Win, and I'll buy you a treat when this is over."

"Of course!"

With a wild grin on her face, the Knight of Treachery leaped into the fray.

* * *

"He asked you to join him?"

Taking a sip from the coffee that Arthur made, Jeanne stated her question to the girl known as Tohsaka Ayaka who had approached the young saint and pleaded for her to listen to what she had to say. The french maiden decided to do so, and that led to their current situation.

"Yes, about a month ago back in Japan, Kotomine-san approached me asking for my help." Ayaka began. "At the time, I didn't think what he was going to ask me was anything dangerous. But when he said that it had something to do with the Holy Grail War, I got curious and decided to hear him out. After that, he brought me along to Romania and then showed me this."

Going over to a bag that was laid out upon another chair, Ayaka dug into it and then pulled out what appeared to be...

"A card?" Both muttered in bewilderment. It held the imagery of a pentagram on its back. On the other side, it was a complete blank.

"This is what's called a Class-Card. For the most part, it looks like an ordinary card with no special attributes." She began, allowing Jeanne to inspect the card for the moment as she continued speaking. "However, they have one special ability that allows them to be something of great value."

Ayaka then gestured for both to look at Lancer, with said two quickly realized what she meant at that moment.

"You don't mean...?" The white knight began for his Master.

"Yes, these class-cards have the ability to summon a Servant." Ayaka revealed as both Jeanne and Arthur widened their eyes in shock, looking back and forth between the card in the young saint's hands and the blue-haired spearsman who merely continued to watch his show on the television screen.

"But how is that even possible...!?" The young saint demanded. "In the first place, without a connection to the grail, sustaining a Servant is near impossible unless a person was born with the ability to store significant amounts of mana within them! Doing so without one would result in a Master quickly tiring themselves out."

"That's what I thought to, my grandmother told me all about the grail wars when I was little." Arthur perked at the mention of said grandmother. "But Kotomine-san apparently found a way to bypass the need for the a grail."

"And how did he do this?" Jeanne asked.

"From what he told me, he said that he and his group have been gathering grail shards from the fake holy grail wars for the past sixty years. He said that although the shards were nothing but remains from failed attempts of creating a grail, they still held great amounts of power within them thanks to the prana they've gathered over time."

Continuing to listen to the glasses wearing blonde, both Jeanne and Arthur began to quickly realize what she was saying.

"Then that means..." The former began, and Ayaka nodded in response.

"Yes. After some modification so that they can continue to gather mana from their natural surroundings, Kotomine-san's group implemented them within the class-cards. As a result, a single Servant can be sustained for an indefinite amount of time so long as they don't consume too much energy than what the shards and a Master can produce on their own. In addition, they use the cards as pseudo spirit cores for the Servants."

That finally explained to both why the rogue Servants could exist without a connection to the grail in Trifas. Jeanne couldn't really believe it, but here it was. And she was also able to tell that the girl in front of her was telling her the truth. Arthur held the same reaction as his Master did, but did so as a muted case.

"That explains a few things..." Jeanne began, looking at Ayaka directly. "Another question, how many class-cards does this group have? How many Servants have they managed to summon? And who made these cards in the first place?"

"Ah, I'm sorry." Ayaka apologized with a bow. "I wasn't able to learn that part after I refused to join him. The only ones I actually know about at this point would be the ones who attacked me and Lancer today."

"I see..." The young saint sighed in a disappointed tone. Seeing this, Ayaka continued to speak as she sat down back at the table.

"But what I do know is that the a single class-card is fueled by several shards put together, so that could mean that there are only a few of them." She suggested. "Also, the Master of a class-card Servant is granted a set of three command seals just like a regular Master would."

A thought quickly came to Ayaka's mind.

"And I don't know if this helps, but apparently some of the Heroic Spirits summoned from the class-cards were all Servants who fought in past fake grail wars."

"Wait, what...?" The young saint once more gave off another surprised look. "What does that mean?"

"I don't know much either, but apparently a Servant can be sealed within the cards in addition to being used as a summoning medium." Ayaka revealed. "And when a Servant summoned using the card dies, they'll turn back into card form and can eventually be re-summoned if the card remains intact. The downside is that they lose their memories everytime that happens apparently."

"Eventually be re-summoned..." Widening her eyes and realizing the implications of such a statement, Jeanne looked to Arthur, who held a similar look on his face. If what Ayaka said was true, then that meant that there was a chance that Robin Hood was still alive. Though unlikely thanks to the barrage Archer of Red brought upon, there was a chance that rogue's archer's card was still intact. If so, that meant they would both eventually run into him again.

Seeing the looks on both of their faces, Ayaka wondered to herself on what they could possibly be thinking about. When she decided to ponder on this, she realized what it was and began scolding herself.

_'Ah! Stupid stupid stupid! How could I forget about that...!?'_

Though she knew about that trait regarding the cards, thanks to everything that was happening at the time, she completely forgot about checking for the rogue archer's card and taking it if possible. By this time of night, there was a chance that it was that said card was already back in the enemy's hands!

Seeing the distressed look on his Master's face, Lancer walked over to Ayaka and light tapped her head with his fist.

"Geez, would you stop worrying about it?" He spoke in an annoyed tone. "If you're that worried, we could always go back and check to find the card you know?"

"Ah, that's right!" The glasses wearing girl perked up. "If that's the case, then we really should-!"

"I would advise against that." Arthur spoke up as all looked at him. "A good amount of time has already passed since we left that place and came here. If this Shirou Kotomine has any sense at all, he would've already retrieved the card once he has a chance. I believe that to be the case. Thus, trying to go there now will be for nothing."

Finding logic in his words, Ayaka sighed as she slumped down into her spot at the table.

"Haauh... I'm such a screw up...!" At this, Jeanne decided to intervene as she went over and laid a hand on the other blonde's shoulder, giving Ayaka a comforting smile as she looked up at the young saint.

"Don't feel too bad, you've provided myself and Arthur information that will prove vital to our cause in upholding the order of the Holy Grail War. That in itself is something to be proud of." Jeanne stated, causing Ayaka to smile slightly. Seeing that she was now feeling better, the former went back to her seat as she sat down and continued their conversation.

"Ah, before I forget." The glasses-wearing blonde began. "There's another downside. Though a class-card Servant can be re-summoned, unless a Master still has one of the command seals they receive from the first summoning, the class-card Servant can no longer be summoned by that person and someone else must do it instead."

"So that means there's a limit." Arthur commented.

"I see. Now then, on to our main topic for the evening." Jeanne stated, and Ayaka knew what she was going to ask. "What can you tell me about Shirou Kotomine himself? Do you know what exactly his wish is in trying to win the Holy Grail for himself?"

Sighing to herself as she looked up at the ceiling for a moment before returning her gaze back towards the two.

"Kotomine-san... wants to save humanity."

"What?" Both the other two blondes muttered in surprise.

"When Kotomine-san asked me to join his group, he told me that his wish was to save humanity." Ayaka began, a crooked smile on her face. "At first, I thought he was joking. Saving humanity... it sounds like something only a little kid would want right? But Kotomine-san said he was dead serious."

"Really?" Jeanne asked. She had expected something completely different. For all the scheming and the attempts at her life, she suspected that the wish the man known as Shirou Kotomine had was going to be an evil wish. But it turns out to be something that was benevolent?

"Yes." The glasses-wearing blonde replied. "He said that, he wants to get rid of the evil that fills people's hearts, and to save our race from a great danger in the future that one of his allies had predicted. To do that, he needs the grail in order to fulfill his wish. And they're willing to do whatever it takes to fulfill their goal."

"A great danger?" The young saint was now curious. Just what was this great danger about?

"Rid the evil in people's hearts?" What caught the attention of her companion was the former subject. A frown on Arthur's face as he thought about the topic before he realized something off. "Excuse me, but would you care to elaborate on that?"

"Eh? Ah, you mean that?" Arthur nodded in response as Ayaka continued. "Well, to put it simply, it's what it is. Kotomine-san wants to get rid of everything evil that's in our hearts. At first, I thought it was alright for him to do this. I mean, evil brings about only bad stuff right? But, when I realized the actual meaning of these words..."

"It means that he's willing to brainwash humanity into a life of peace and tranquility using the grail correct?" The young man stated, arms crossed with a frown on his face as he spoke. "Is that what he wishes for?"

"I don't really know for myself. I left before I could understand more about what he's actually trying to do." Ayaka replied.

"What made decide to leave in the first place?" Jeanne asked.

"Because I saw what he was willing to do." Ayaka replied as she held herself. "I found out that I wasn't the only one Kotomine-san brought along as someone to help him and his people, there were others too. But they refused and, well..."

"I see, there's no need to continue if you're feeling uncomfortable." The former replied to which the girl nodded.

"All I know is this. The grail can only grant something within human understanding as it was created by human hands. Wishing for something like wanting to save humanity... It's just something that can't be done."

"Indeed. Such a wish cannot be granted by the grail." Jeanne nodded in agreement. "And in the first place, saving humanity... if what Arthur suggested is true, then perhaps that is the reason why I was summoned."

"Reason?"

"Ruler-Class Servants are only summoned during times where the Holy Grail War has a chance of becoming a great danger to humanity." Jeanne continued. "An example would be what Arthur suggested. If a Master is chosen yet has a wish that can prove to be a rather dangerous one, then the grail would know of this and may even summon a Ruler in order to handle the situation."

"I see." Ayaka nodded in understanding.

"If what Arthur said is true, then perhaps that's the reason why I was summoned. Wishing to rid the evil in men's hearts by forcing them to become good. That would effectively cause humanity to cease in their existence as individuals. I cannot approve of such a thing. Such a wish would go against the gift that God has given to us all, and that is our ability to choose. And as the majority of humanity value that ability, a wish such as ridding the evils in our hearts, despite the well-intention it implies, would be akin to trying to go against it."

The glasses-wearing blonde once more nodded in understanding. Not long afterwards she spoke her own piece regarding the topic.

"My Uncle once taught me that there was this unseen entity known as Alaya or the Counter Force." She began. "He said that it gets rid of anything that threatens our existence as a race, destroying everything associated with the danger without remorse for those caught up in it. Like you said, Kotomine-san's wish can easily be seen as a threat itself since our ability to chose is what defines us the most. If his wish is really going to force others to his will, then Alaya could very well take action in order to prevent that."

As the two continued to discuss with one another, Arthur watched them with a keen eye. He himself had an idea of what the girl was talking about, though his knowledge somewhat differed from hers. He supposed that it was a product of being born in differing time periods.

Averting his gaze, he decided to take a look at the time. He noticed that more than an hour and a half had already passed since their discussion began. The young man was somewhat surprised by this. Had time really gone by that quickly?

"Perhaps we should take a break for now?" He called out with a clap of his hands. "This discussion is turning somewhat grim. I believe you both should refresh yourselves first before continuing any further."

"I have been wanting to take a shower by now..." Ayaka muttered to herself quietly while curling a strand of her hair on her finger.

"Very well, we'll stop here for the moment." Jeanne then looked towards the male blonde. "Arthur, I'd like to have a word with you outside."

"...?" The white knight only nodded in confusion.

* * *

"Hmph, what nonsense is this?"

There were no other words that the Golden King could use to describe the incredulous feeling he was having at the moment thanks to what Assassin had just stated in response to his question of what her Master desired from the grail.

"Is there something wrong O great King of Heroes? A gawking mouth suits you not." The raven-haired beauty stated with a smile. Currently, the two Servants of Red sat within the wine cellar where Archer had decided set up his own personal abode. The sat opposite from one another as they held their talks, drinking glasses of wine in the process.

"For all his scheming, he desires something so _childish_?" The Golden King stated, not being able to believe what he heard. How in the world a person could believe in such a thing was beyond even him.

"Truthfully, I held such a reaction myself when he told me what he desired." The Assyrian Queen replied as the smile on her face grew wide. "Normally, I would have laughed and took control of anyone who would say such a thing to me. However, as I saw in his eyes that he was truly determined to bring about such a wish, I couldn't help but become interested and as such aid him in his endeavor."

"Hmph, your Master's naivety is simply astounding." Archer clicked his tongue in distaste before taking a sip and continuing. "Saving humanity? Who is he to decide what humanity needs saving from? Only I, the King, can do so. Such an affront cannot stand."

"Don't look at me when you ask that, say it to my Master." The raven-haired beauty simply stated. "So then King of Heroes, where do we go from here? Shall we continue finishing our drinks or shall you decide to finally rise up against myself and my master?"

"Normally such utter disrespect from you would result in me taking your head and that of your Master." The Golden King declared. "However, I admit that I am curious to see just what your Master plans for the future. It may prove to be an entertaining spectacle to see the failure of a man who wishes to save the world."

"I take it that means you will not be reporting us?"

"I'll make no such promises. Perhaps I will or perhaps I will not. I may even play the role of an observer for now." Archer stated with a smirk. "However..."

Standing up and leaning over to Assassin, he grabbed the raven-haired beauty by the chin as he continued.

"Should you and your Master step out line, I _will_ take action." He declared. "And the punishment I shall deliver upon you both shall be most _severe_."

Unfazed by the threat, Assassin continued to smile as she raised the glass of wine in her hand after the Golden King released his hold on her.

"I see. Well then, shall we finish this?"

* * *

"Oh? It's you again~!"

Walking about within the castle of Yggdmillennia, the Twelfth Paladin of Charlemagne came across a certain male white-haired homunculus.

"Oh, it's you Rider."

"What's with that reaction? Is that anyway to greet your friends~?" The young paladin stated, complaining about the rather monotone voice the homunculus before had used just now. Said homunculus was one of the first ones had met together with the one he had named Alzir after his summoning over a month ago. Together with her and other homunculi, Astolfo had decided to befriend each and every one of them.

Lately though, he was unable to do much with the one in front of him thanks to Caster using him as one of her workers. Despite his demeanor, the homunculus was something of what one could call an ace in a variety of subjects. Though not perfect, he was able to do quite well in anything he chose to do, and such a person was helpful in Caster's tasks.

And now that he had time to think about it, he had yet to name the homunculus in front of him like he did with Alzir and some of the others. Such a thing could not stand, not while he could help it!

"Say, have you decided on a name yet~?" Astolfo began.

"A name...?"

"You know, something to call you by?"

"I know what a name is. What I was referring to would be why would I need one?"

"You know, for simplicity's sake." The young paladin stated. "You homunculi all kinda look alike to a degree. Giving you names helps to tell you apart from one another."

Taking a closer look at his friend, Astolfo realized that the homunculus actually looked somewhat similar to Saber of Black, only a lot younger, shorter hair, and far less muscular. As such, a thought immediately came to mind thanks to this bit of information. The young paladin now knew for himself what his friend's name should be.

"I know, from here on out, I'll call you Sieg!"

"Sieg?" The homunculus mouthed briefly before smiling slightly. "That seems... somewhat appropriate."

"Ahaha~! I thought so!" The pinkette smiled in delight. It was then that he heard a familiar voice calling out to him.

"Hey Rider...!"

Caules Forvedge came into view with Berserker standing right behind him, a somewhat panicked expression on his face as though he heard of something that he really didn't like hearing about.

"There you are...! I need a favor from you!"

"Hmm?"

* * *

"Shit!"

Hiding behind a corner, Kairi narrowly dodged being slammed upon by an incoming truck thrown by his opponent. Who was said person...?

"What's the matter Mister Mercenary? Do you yield?!"

With the aid of her mystic code, the Bronze-Link Manipulator, Fiore Forvedge Yggdmillennia stood her ground no longer bound by her wheel-chair.

"Holy shit kid, you actually made that thing yourself?" He questioned, honestly curious. According to the info El-Melloi had provided him, the young brunette he was facing was a prodigy as a magus. Having created the mystic code herself a few years back as a pre-teen or something. From what he saw, the girl was suspended in air using five giant mechanical looking spider limbs that wouldn't have looked out of place in a science fiction series as an exoskeleton mecha armor.

Using them as pseudo-legs, her speed, attack, and defense had increased dramatically from what he had initially calculated. For every shot he aimed and fired at the girl, her limbs would either block or allow her to dodge them easily. Not to mention the fact that she just used two of them to throw a car a goddamn truck at him!

"And what about it?"

For Fiore, this was the first real combat situation she had ever been in that didn't involve the watchful eye of her grandfather looking after her. As such, it would have been a lie to say that she wasn't nervous. But, she could not afford such an emotion right now. Her main goal was defeating the man before her, and if possible, have a talk with him in order discuss her earlier thoughts with the Red Faction. She tried to do so earlier, but that quickly resulted in her almost getting shot in the head once more. And that lead itself to the activation of her mystic code and the current situation.

The design of said mystic code was also partially influenced from reading some of her little brother's comic books. Nobody actually knew about this fact, and she decided to keep it that way as she found it somewhat embarrassing.

"Nothing, just makes killing you a little harder is all!"

Two shots, each fired from the two weapons in his hand went straight for the girl's head. The mechanical limbs quickly reacted and blocked the incoming attacks. Afterwards, two of her mechanical limbs raised and pointed themselves at the mercenary.

"...!"

No sooner than that, beams of light erupted from them as Kairi dodged the girl's counterattack.

* * *

"Damn it, what kind of Archer are you...!?"

"I am a teacher."

Skillfully parrying the red knight's blows with his own sword, Mordred and Chiron found themselves in a deadlock as they fought across the rooftops of the city, sparks flying from their respective blades.

"Bastard! Are you looking down on me?! Fight me seriously!" Mordred demanded. As the class titles would imply, Archer was a hero of the bow. For him to be using a sword against her instead of his own specialization, it meant to her that he was confident enough in his swordplay to best her, Saber of Red, in a contest of swordsmanship. Such an act was insulting to say the least about it. She would not allow the offense to stand, not in a battle like this!

"Not at all, I just merely wish to test your skills as closely as possible." Chiron replied. The blonde was a strong fighter indeed. Though her skills needed some work, he believed that had she lived to a longer age and thus experienced more battles, then perhaps she would have been a far better opponent than the one he was currently facing.

Trading blows with her was enough for him to confirm that she did indeed die young. Some of his apprentices had died young as well. Perhaps that was the fate of all Heroic Spirits? Such a thought only caused Chiron to sigh internally.

"Then I'll make you regret that desire...!"

With a sudden burst, the Knight of Treachery pushed her foe back a great distance. Seeing an opportunity, she quickly gathered mana within her feet and quickly closed the gap between them with the use of short burst of movement. Pouring more power into her blade, she then swung hard.

"Hah!"

Within a single strike, the sword that the green-haired Archer had been using was finally broken.

"...!"

Disarmed, Archer of Black quickly moved to further the distance between himself and his foe once more. Deciding not to take any chances with her opponent, Mordred moved to attack as he did so.

"Your head is mine!"

With one final cry, she swung her sword hard.

"...!?"

Mordred quickly widened her eyes in shock when she that Clarent had been stopped mid-swing, the blade being caught between the hands of the green-haired archer who was smirking at her after seeing the look on her face.

Before she could react, Mordred felt a heavy blow being landed upon her gut as she gasped in pain. It was followed up with two more strikes, both aimed at her chest and face. Afterwards, Archer quickly grabbed her by tossing her to the ground...

...And then followed that up by breaking her arm in half.

"Argh!" She cried out in pain, glaring at her opponent as she swung her sword at him before he could do any more damage.

Standing up, the Knight of Treachery growled out in anger at her opponent, clutching her broken arm in the process.

"Bastard! I'll make you pay for that!"

"So you're still willing to continue with such an injury?" Archer asked, chuckling slightly as he smiled at her. "Such rough child you are. You remind of one of my students."

"Save it! And don't you dare call me a child!"

And so the battle between the two resumed.

* * *

Stopping at a secluded spot a short distance away from the hotel, Jeanne turned around and faced her partner.

"Well, what do you think? Do you believe everything that that girl has told us?"

"Who knows?" Arthur replied. He knew all too well from personal experience that trusting anyone at face-value may prove to be a person's downfall. However, he had believed that the girl known as Ayaka Tohsaka was indeed telling the truth. A gut feeling of his was what made him think so, and said feeling had most of time was something to be relied upon.

"If you want my personal opinion, then I believe trusting that girl is a step in the right direction."

"I see, so you believe that too." Jeanne smiled, satisfied that he held the same views as she did.

"That wasn't all what you wanted talk about isn't it?" He asked. Had his Master only wanted to ask what his opinion of the girl was, then should have easily done so back at the hotel. "Well then, here we are. What's on your mind?"

"It's about something that's been bothering me since earlier today." The young saint began. "I forgot to ask you about this earlier thanks to meeting that girl, but now I remembered it."

Looking him directly in the eye, Jeanne continued.

"Arthur, just how exactly did you find that girl in the first place?" She asked, causing the white knight to freeze up slightly. "And there's one other thing. I couldn't sense your presence at all after you disappeared on me. I could still feel your existence, yet it felt so far away. Did something happen to you?"

"That's..." Arthur began. How would he explain it? That someone whom appeared to be his former Master appeared right before him and urged him to follow her? The moment she mentioned that his presence felt distant, his suspicions of Manaka being alive grew stronger though he was still unconvinced.

He snapped out of his thoughts when suddenly the young saint leaned forward with both hands on her hips. Arthur stepped back slightly as he saw a scolding look on her face and raised then pointed a finger at him.

"You're not hiding anything from me are you? If you are, I'll get mad."

"No, no, it's not so much as hiding so much as you haven't asked me regarding-" He began before realizing his mistake.

"Ah! So you really are hiding something?!" Jeanne demanded, her finger now touching him upon the nose as he looked at her, surprised at the action. "Arthur, as your Master, I order you to reveal what you know. I won't allow you to keep any secrets from me!"

After a few moments of deliberation within his mind, the white knight sighed and raised both hands in defeat. Trying to talk his way out of this one would prove to be futile.

"Well, I suppose there's no real harm in telling you about it." He stated before smiling. "Be prepared though, because you may find what I'm about to tell you to be a shock."

Jeanne looked at her partner slightly confused but nonetheless decided to listen to what Arthur had to say.

* * *

"Ah...!"

Before she even knew it, Fiore found herself on the ground grasping her right arm in pain.

Though she had the upper hand for the majority of their battle, the mercenary had managed to bypass her defenses and shoot a hole through her shoulder. Not long after that, he fired off two more shots that were powerful enough that it caused two of the legs that supported her to collapse.

 _'I need to call Archer here now...!'_ She thought, her wound causing her mind to be filled with pain as she worked to heal it with her magecraft. At the same time, she began to telepathically contact her Servant.

Fiore quickly snapped out of it however when another bullet bounced off the pavement near her, causing the brunette to quickly hide behind some cover.

"Sorry about this kid, nothing personal." Kairi called out as he himself hid behind some cover, making sure to not take any chances. The giant-ass spider limbs were both expected and unexpected. Who knew what else the girl had in store for him.

"Please wait a moment!" Fiore cried out. "If you just listen to what I have to say, then you would-"

"Like I already said, I ain't hearing it." The necromancer replied. "You know how it works with magi kid. Never trust anyone."

Even if he was working with the Red Faction for now, Kairi knew that he would have to face off against the other in the near future once the Masters of Black and their Servants were dealt with. Although he disliked the idea of killing people he called comrades for the sake of his own wish, it was a price he was willing to pay. Still though, he slightly hoped that it wouldn't have to come down to that.

Waver Velvet was someone he had worked with in the past, enough to consider the man as a casual acquaintance. And he was adverse to the thought of killing what he considered to be children, though his current actions at the moment would soon lead to the death of one.

"Heh, I'm starting to go soft." He chuckled to himself. He would need to work that out later. Right now, he had a fight that he needed to win.

Standing up, Kairi ran over to the prone Fiore, stopping to aim his handgun at her head as the young brunette began to glare at him as he came into her field of vision.

No more words were spoken when the necromancer fired what he considered to be his final shot of the day. Even with the use of a command seal, Archer of Black wouldn't be able to make it back in time to aid his Master. His victory was already assured...

...is what Kairi thought. However, before he even realized it, he had let his guard down. And that alone was enough...

"GET AWAY FROM MY SISTER YOU GORILLA-FACED BASTARD!"

...for Caules Forvedge to act.

"What the hell?!"

The necromancer cried out in pain as his hand was struck with a stone thrown by Caules who appeared at a corner. The stone was thrown so hard, that it was able to deflect his aim elsewhere, causing the would be fatal shot to miss its target.

"Caules!"

"Son of a bitch!"

Kairi cried out aimed his shotgun at Caules and fired as the young man hid behind said corner.

"Hey! Leave our mother out of this you terminator wannabe!" The latter reprimanded as he decided to take a peek before quickly going back as he narrowly avoided being shot in the face. "And watch were you're shooting! Have some consideration for the people who live in this city dammit!"

Once he discovered that Fiore went into the city by herself, Caules had immediately became worried about his older sister. Despite knowing that she could take care of herself, his sister was a soft person at heart. As such, he couldn't help but track her down in order to keep an eye on her. He couldn't have been more right once he saw her current condition.

"Come and make me you little punk!" The necromancer yelled in response. He hadn't expected the younger brother to appear, rescuing his older sister no less. From what intel he had been able to gather about the two, Caules Forvedge had been treated as second-rate and poor-man's substitute to his much more talented older sister. He had seen similar cases in the past, and most of said cases usually involved a sibling rivalry.

However, that didn't appear to be the case with two before him. What the young man had yelled just now confirmed it for the mercenary. Caules loved his sister enough to not give a damn about about their positions in life. As such, he couldn't help but respect the kid a little once he confirmed this in his thoughts.

"Hey kid! Why don't we make a deal!?" Kairi called out. "I let your sister go, you and I take each other on man to man. Winner gets to leave with their lives intact."

"Screw you! I ain't here for a contest of measuring dicks you idiot, I'm here to get my sister!" Such a statement nearly caused Kairi to falter, particularly at the former's description for his deal. "Rider! Berserker! What are you two waiting for?!"

"Wha-!? Ah, shit!"

The necromancer quickly ducked out of the way as he saw Berserker of Black materialize right before him and narrowly avoided being stabbed by her spear. Not long after her appearance, Rider of Black landed right beside the Servant of Madness with a grin on his face.

"Good evening~" The latter stated.

"Wow! Were you born with that face? I feel so sorry for you~" Elizabeth smirked.

"Oi!"

"Now that's a bit too much isn't it Berserker?" The young paladin chuckled as he went over to Fiore and carried her in his arms. Quickly, he leaped over to where Caules was and not long afterwards did Archer of Black appear right beside them.

"Oh~! Archer!"

"Good evening my friend." He greeted before facing Fiore with a shameful look on his face. "My apologies Master. I wasn't able to arrive on time."

Continuing while facing Caules, Chiron spoke. "Master Caules, I must apologize to you as well. Had you not arrived when you did-"

"Enough about that. Right now focus on the guy who tried to kill my sister." Caules replied, noticing the rather severe gash on Archer's left arm. He then glared at the mercenary while also relishing the panicked look on his face as he realized that he was severely outnumbered right now with the presence of three Servants against him.

"YOU BASTARD!"

A voice called out in the form of Mordred landing right beside her Master with an even angrier look on her face than usual. When Kairi looked more closely, he quickly understood why. At the moment, her left arm was flailing about slightly, indicating that it was broken. Caules noted that she must've been the one responsible for Archer's injury given that her blade was dripping with blood.

"Don't you dare run away from me!" She demanded. Through sheer effort and determination, she was able to get even with Archer for breaking her arm earlier by taking the use of his own. Served him right!

"That's enough, we can't win this one." The mercenary quickly stated as he laid a hand on his Servant's shoulder. "We gotta move now!"

"But that's...!" The Knight of Treachery wanted to voice her thoughts on the matter, but even she was able to note that they were outnumbered right now. As much as she disliked it, retreat was the best course of action for the time being, especially with her broken arm.

"Damn it, I'll be back to settle the score!" Mordred stated as she hefted her Master onto her shoulder, the man cried out that his current position was undignified.

"You're not getting away...!" Elizabeth moved to follow, but all were quickly stopped when Fiore called out to everyone.

"W-Wait a moment! Please, everyone just calm down!"

Such an action was enough to get their attention. Why wouldn't it? After all, from the young brunette's appearance alone, one would think that she was a delicate thing. Which was especially so with her disabled legs. However, the act of raising her voice proved otherwise.

Seeing that all eyes were on her, Fiore continued to speak.

"Mister Shishigou was it? That is your name right?" She said as she motioned for Archer to get her wheelchair for her.

"Yeah. What about it?" Kairi questioned, Mordred having chosen to settle him down again. Easily outnumbered, he supposed that listening to the young brunette was the best course he could take for now without retreating to a safer location.

"Please, I ask that you relay a message to Lord El-Melloi when you see him." Fiore replied. "It concerns the existence the of the rogue servants that have attempted to take Ruler's life in the past."

"Yeah... what about them?"

"So long as they exist, I believe that this Holy Grail War that we have been chosen to participate in will never be concluded normally." She stated. "As such, I believe that it would be necessary to deal with them first before we turn our Servants against each other as per the custom of the war."

"Wait, you're not asking for-"

"That is indeed what I'm aiming for. I wish to hold a temporary alliance."

* * *

"Wait, you mean to tell me that you participated in another Holy Grail War before?"

Unable to believe what she just heard, Jeanne looked at Arthur with a very surprised look on her face.

"Are you surprised at the fact that I fought in one before or the fact that I remember it?" Arthur asked, smiling slightly.

"Both." She stated in response. "Arthur, just how is it possible? The Holy Grail War may summon Heroic Spirits as Servants, but by nature, we are nothing more than copies of the originals that exist outside of the plane of time within the Throne of Heroes."

"There are always exceptions to the rule." Arthur replied. "I just happen to be one of those exceptions. Remember the title of the book about me that belongs to Laeticia? The one that I was reading about the morning after we arrived in the city?"

"The Once and Future King? Oh..."

Realizing what such a title would imply, Jeanne could only react in such a way.

"In some versions of the story, King Arthur never died. He merely fell into a deep sleep." The white knight began. "Though he was mortally wounded by his rival Mordred, he was taken to the sacred land of Avalon in order to heal his wounds, with the people waiting for the day he would awaken once more and rise to take back his place as the one true king of the land."

"Then is it true? That you're still alive?" The young saint asked. "But, if that's truly the case, then how is it that you can be here? Since you're still alive, you cannot be summoned as Servant, much less be called a Heroic Spirit yet."

"Well, the answer to that is both yes and no." Arthur replied. "It's true that since I am still alive I cannot be called a proper Heroic Spirit yet. I won't bother you with all the details. Just know that the form you see me in right now is me as I was on my deathbed. And that is the reason why I cannot go into spirit form and why I can remember events from a past summoning unlike other Servants. Until I obtain the Holy Grail for myself, I am what one could call an incomplete Heroic Spirit."

Jeanne blinked in surprise at this. She had believed that it was because of a fault in the summoning process that caused Arthur's inability to turn into spirit form. But now it turns out that it was due to something else entirely.

She was also curious to learn more about the young man's special circumstances. Still though, it wasn't the time. Perhaps she could ask more about it later. Right now, there was still the matter they were discussing earlier.

"So then, what happened earlier?"

"I encountered someone I used to know." Arthur stated, causing the young saint to look at him once more in surprise. "My former Master, a girl who went by the name Manaka Sajyou. Over sixty years ago, she and I fought in the Holy Grail War in the land known as Japan."

"Sixty years ago... wait, you fought in that war?"

According to the information from the grail, the war that took place sixty years ago was the same one that served as a precursor towards the ones that soon began all over the world. And right now, she had someone with her who participated in that fight.

"Yes. During that time, only myself and the other six Servant classes were summoned." The white knight replied. "Though thanks to circumstance, there was also a Ruler-Class Servant at the time."

"A Ruler-Class Servant was summoned back then?" Jeanne quickly asked in bewilderment.

"Yes there was." Arthur revealed. "Back then, the world was caught in the middle of the event known as World War II. I suppose the Grail felt that with all the commotion it needed to summon one in order to preserve some semblance of order."

The young saint nodded at this. With what knowledge Laeticia had regarding World War II, Jeanne was able to understand enough regarding the topic.

"Wait, would that mean you met Lancer of Black's Master before? The man known as Darnic?" Arthur nodded in response. "Now I see. I suppose that would explain those strange looks he was giving you back then."

Getting back on topic, Jeanne poised the question to the male blonde.

"Anyway, you were saying something about your former Master?"

"Indeed. I saw whom I believed to be my former Master." Arthur began, the expression on his face turning somewhat grim. "The blonde hair, blue dress and eyes, she looked _exactly_ like her. Because of that, I suppose I couldn't help but ignore everything for just so I could confirm that it was her. But in the end, it resulted in me losing track of her and coming across Ayaka and Lancer."

"But how would that be even possible? It's been sixty years since then." Jeanne stated before realizing something. There was actually a possibility of that happening, one of the methods to which was something that she was about to ask the young man.

"Arthur, did you and her-?"

"No, I did _not_ win the Holy Grail War back then." The white knight quickly stated in response. "Due to circumstance, she and I both died along the way."

"I see..." She should've expected that considering his earlier words. At this, the young saint couldn't help but feel sorry for her partner. He had his chance at the Holy Grail only to be killed at one point. Now he had been summoned once again, only this time he was unable to participate in the fight for the Holy Grail due to her. She couldn't help but feel somewhat guilty.

Seeing the look on her face, Arthur sighed as he realized what she was probably thinking and laid a hand on his Master's head. This caused the young saint to look up at him with a surprised expression.

"Don't feel bad. After all, I was the one who chose to cast aside my wish in order to aid you in the first place."

"But still..."

"You're a kindhearted person Jeanne, it's something I like about you." The young man smiled at her. "But I have already sworn an oath to stand by your side as both your Servant and as your friend. As such, no matter what comes nor my own personal desires, you may always count on me to lend you a helping hand should you ever need it."

Such a statement together with the smile Arthur gave off only resulted in the young saint blushing slightly in response. Really now, did he really have to make it sound like that? Because of it, she couldn't help but react the way she did.

"You must've been quite the charmer weren't you?" She muttered quietly, though loud enough to be heard.

"Hmm?" The young man looked at his Master clueless to what she was referring to.

"No, it's nothing." She shook her head in response, her blush fading. Now was not the time for such talk. "Is there anything else you need to tell me? About your former Master that is?"

"Manaka was..." He began, a frown forming on his face once more. "A special child to say the least. If what I encountered really was her... no, I don't want to think about it."

Noticing his tone of voice and expression, Jeanne wondered to herself what kind of relationship her friend had with his former Master. His reaction just now... perhaps it was guilt due to his inability to protect her in the past? From what she knew of Arthur, she thought that this was the most likely case.

"It may be that someone knew about my relation to her and used it to play a trick on me?" Arthur suggested.

"Could it have been Darnic? He was one of the enemy Masters you fought in the past correct?" The young saint pointed out.

"Perhaps. He's the only person I could think of right now." Arthur replied. "However, it doesn't make any sense. Why bother with such trickery? Was it so that I would discover what was happening regards to Ayaka and Lancer? He wouldn't even need to do such a thing, and even then, I doubt he already knows about the two of them. If so, he either would try to recruit them to his cause or silence them himself since they are outsiders. Such was the man that Manaka and I fought long ago."

There was also the fact that Arthur's presence earlier felt rather distant. Was it magecraft that caused such an effect? The young saint couldn't help but wonder this. Such a complicated matter had been presented before her. She thought she had enough to deal with, but now this?

 _'My Lord, please give me strength.'_ Jeanne silently prayed to herself.

* * *

"So Ayaka, what you think about those two?"

Having finished taking a shower and refreshing herself, Ayaka entered her bedroom wearing a set of cat pajamas while still drying her hair. Lancer appeared at the door while poising his question to her.

"What I think?" Ayaka began as she was immersed in her personal thoughts. "Well, I really feel like they're both trustworthy people. Ruler-san and Saber-san... both of them must've great people back in their lifetimes. I can feel it."

"So you really think we should work together with them? Fine by me." Lancer stated with a shrug. "After all, you lead and I follow. That's how this gig works."

"Are you saying we shouldn't trust them?"

"What? No." The blue-haired spearsman replied. "Saber helped save your life. That makes him good enough in my book. And if a guy like that serves someone like Ruler, then I suppose trusting both of them is a no brainer."

Lancer could tell that Saber was someone of high moral conduct, one glance at him was able to prove it. He also had an idea of what the latter's identity was thanks to Ruler calling him "Arthur". There was only one hero that came to mind when he heard that name, and if he was right, then he supposed that Saber's mannerism and how he held himself earlier wouldn't have been that much a surprise. Knight Kings tended to be like that he supposed.

Noticing his Master had suddenly gone quiet, Lancer looked at Ayaka and saw that she was staring off into space with her face slightly red for some reason.

"What's wrong missy? You caught a fever or something? Your face is turning red."

"E-Eh!?" She squeaked briefly. "A-Ah, it's nothing! Nothing at all!"

"Hmm?"

Ayaka sighed in relief when she saw the clueless look on Lancer's face. Just now, her thoughts had been centered around Saber, specifically him smiling at her earlier while holding her protectively. It was like she was a princess being rescued by a knight. She was glad that she hadn't said anything during her brief daze. Otherwise, her Servant would probably make fun of her relentlessly for what she was thinking.

 _'Saber-san... he's a lot like the prince that grandma would always tell me about during her stories.'_ The blonde thought. It was something that's been instilled into her memory since she was a child. Blonde hair, green eyes, white armor, the personality of a gentlemen, they all matched. And because of said stories, Ayaka had a weakness for men who were the arch-typical knight in shining armor. It was something that she was quite embarrassed about, and Rin would often make fun of her because of this trait.

_'Not that she's any different considering that boy she has a crush on. What was his name again...?'_

Ayaka didn't really know much about said person since she began living in Tokyo with her grandmother around a year ago. The only times she saw him where whenever she had enough free time to spend a few days within Fuyuki together with her relatives. That said, he was a nice enough young man from what she knew of him. He was kinda like a modern day knight, though he tended to be somewhat oblivious. Rin and Sakura had met and befriended him around the same time she moved to the capital.

_'I think his name was Emiya Shirou...?'_

She found it slightly humorous that the boy that Rin, and Sakura when she thought about it, liked had shared the same first name with Kotomine Shirou. Said person was someone that Rin couldn't get along with since she always had a bad feeling about him whenever he was around.

_'In hindsight, I suppose Rin was right about this one.'_

The girl began wondering how Rin would react to the current situation that she was in. The glasses wearing blonde believed that she would probably try to take the fight directly to their enemies with Sakura trying to hold her sister back from trying to do anything stupid. Said thought brought a smile to Ayaka's face.

While having said thoughts, Ayaka went over and picked up the cellphone that laid on a desk. Unlike her relatives, most especially Rin, she was modernized. She couldn't really understand why most magi wouldn't approve of modern day technology. She supposed that it was due to pride in their magecraft that caused such a thing.

_'Maybe I should call home?'_

Playing with the phone in her hand for a good moment or so, she sighed before setting it back down onto the desk.

 _'No, if I do, I may want to just up and leave.'_ She thought to herself. ' _Right now, I can't allow anything to distract me. Kotomine-san must be stopped.'_

Her resolve strengthened once more, the blonde decided to finish up with her current task of drying her hair.

* * *

Later that night...

"What? Are you serious?"

"Yep, that kid Fiore wants both of our forces to team up for now."

Seated within Waver's office were both the long-haired man himself, Rider of Red, and Kairi, the latter of which having just explained everything that happened to him and Saber that night. They arrived at the villa shortly after their talk with Fiore.

"So, what are we going to do about it?" The latter asked.

"She does have a point. Right now, there are at least five rogue Servants running about. I doubt the Holy Grail War can ever be conducted properly with their existence." Waver replied. He personally knew Fiore Forvedge. Not well, but enough to know that she was a reliable and trustworthy person for a magus.

"So we're going to take what she said seriously?" The mercenary asked once more. Personally, he didn't like the idea as he did not trust the members of Yggdmillennia. They were after all their opponents in the Holy Grail War.

"I say why not?" Rider stated with a grin on his face. "Working together sounds like a good idea and a fun endeavor to me. And allying with them may also prove to be a fortunate boon for us. The more we know about their Servants, the more we'll be able to make effective countermeasures don't you agree?"

"Well we already know the identities of Saber, Lancer, Archer, and Rider." Waver replied. "But I suppose it doesn't hurt to learn more about them. A temporary alliance it may be, but it should still provide us with something in the long run."

Soon afterwards, the long-haired man sent out a familiar carrying his reply towards the Masters of Black. He thought for a moment that perhaps it was going to be a trap. As such, he decided to request Fiore to bring _that_ person along if they wanted to have a meeting. After all, she was serving as a mediator for the Holy Grail War.

"I don't like this." Kairi muttered before a knock on the door interrupted him and their discussion.

"Brother." A voice called out from the other side.

"Reines? Come in." Waver replied as the young blonde entered the room together with Gray. "What is it? Did something happen?"

"I thought that you would like to know that priest known as Kotomine has left the premises. Gray noticed something off when she passed by his room earlier. After she decided to enter it, she found that it was empty of all valuables and possessions." She revealed as much to others shock and surprise.

"He left us without warning...?" Waver asked with a frown on his face. "For him to disappear on us now of all times."

"Hmph, so that man has already decided to make his move?"

Quickly turning their gazes at the source of the voice, everyone looked to see Archer of Red leaning against the wall with both arms crossed and a smirk on his face.

"Do you know something Archer?" Reines inquired.

"Perhaps I do, what of it?" He asked, a mocking grin on his face as he looked at his young master.

"Then I ask that you tell us about it." The blonde-haired girl stated, irritated by the look on her Servant's face.

"Very well then, I shall tell you what I know." The Golden King replied. "However, I expect proper recompense for what I am about to tell you."

* * *

After their meeting and subsequent agreement to work with one another, Jeanne decided that staying together with Ayaka and Lancer would be the best course of action for now. As such, the two blonde heroes made their way towards the church in order to pick up Laeticia's belongings. Though Arthur stated that he could do it by himself, Jeanne wanted to come along in order to personally say goodbye and thank Sister Petresia and the others for allowing the two to stay at the church.

The young saint was slightly saddened by their parting. Though she knew that her time in the realm of the living was limited due to being a Servant, she couldn't help but bond with those at the church, most especially Sister Petresia whom she got along with best.

Soon after achieving what they came to do, the two immediately headed back towards the hotel. When Sister Petresia discovered this, and taking into account how late at night it already was when they arrived, a smile erupted onto her face as an embarrassed Jeanne quickly stated that it wasn't anything she was thinking of. The elderly nun only continued to smile as she waved the two off as they left the church.

Really now, for a sister, she enjoyed teasing people didn't she? Or perhaps it was only her?

 _'Now then... with all the information that Miss Ayaka has brought forth, what should we do now?'_ Jeanne thought. Though much had been made clear thanks to Ayaka, there was still the matter that with the numbers that Shirou Kotomine had, they would need to assemble an equivalent force. The first thing she had in mind was to go to either Faction for aid. But she didn't know which one to choose...

Lancer of Black and his Master had a sinister aura to their presence, but even then she felt that neither of the two could be considered a true enemy. However, because of said attributes, she felt she wouldn't be able to work well with both.

Then there was the man known as Waver Velvet on the other hand had a more reasonable air to him despite Jeanne having only met him once, and that was during the first night. Having agreed to her call for a temporary ceasefire before, she felt that she could go to him. Though there was a chance he was in collusion with Shirou Kotomine since they were both in the Red Faction.

 _'What to do...'_ She thought, her mind debating on what course of action would be best. The young saint felt like she was going in circles, repeating the same question to herself over and over again.

"Wait, is that a bird...?"

Snapping out of her thoughts, Jeanne heard Arthur speak and looked to see what he was referring to.

What she saw was a small bird flying towards them. Seeing this, the young saint stretched out one of her hands as the small creature landed right on top of it. Attached to its leg was a piece of paper. She was quickly able to identify it as a familiar. But who did it belong to was the question.

Taking the piece of paper off the bird's leg, the small creature flew off as the young saint rolled it open. Jeanne saw that it was a message from one of the Masters of Black.

"What does it say?" Arthur asked.

"It says that the Black Faction requires my presence. And the reason to why that is..." The young saint's expression turned into one of surprise and shock. "They want me to mediate a meeting between them as they form an alliance!?"

"Wait, an alliance?"

"Yes. It seems like the one known as Fiore Forvedge recognizes the threat the rogue Servants pose to the Holy Grail War and its participants. She wants both factions to work together for the time being in order to eliminate them. She even says that leader of the Red Faction, Rider's Master, has agreed to it as well. The meeting is to take place a day from now." Jeanne replied with a smile on her face.

This could prove to be just what they needed! With everything that's been happening, she was wondering to herself who could be trusted and who could not. If what was stated here was genuine, then perhaps she finally found a solution to one of their problems. Jeanne prayed that this would be the case.

Arthur himself only had one thing to say regarding this new piece of information.

"Well now, I suppose things have taken a rather interesting turn.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The thing with Sieg's name. Yeah, I decided to stick with his original name from the novel's instead of making up a new one by providing the reason that since the former looks a little like Siegfried, Astolfo thinks it would be an appropriate name for him. That said, they don't actually look all that alike, even after the former gets the latter's heart and his body changes accordingly in the original novels. So just roll with it XP.
> 
> The fight scene with Kairi, Mordred, Fiore, and Chiron was more or less taken from the original novels. Caules interference was there too, though this time he was joined by Astolfo and Elizabeth in rescuing Fiore. As you all have read, the Class-Cards are being used here. Though when compared to Prisma-Illya, I've modified their use compared to that verse.


	12. Act I-12: The Banquet of Heroes

"Are you ready Saber?"

Within a large room that was void of anything except those who stood within it, Caster of Black poised her question to the tall swordsman who nodded in response. Other than herself and said person who stood in the middle, Darnic, Lancer of Black, Gordes, Celenike, and her young Master Roche were all in attendance for the event that was about to happen.

"Are you quite certain that performing the summoning for that creature here is a wise thing to do? Considering that we're underground..." Celenike voiced. Though the gray-haired woman had her share of risk and gambling with her life, what they were about to do would have been a rather dangerous task all things considered.

"Considering that the other option is to perform outside where our enemies could bare witness to it, I'm quite certain." The blue-haired man replied. He wasn't bothered by Celenike's concerns, mostly due to the fact that with three Servants here, he believed that they could stand against anything, even a dragon.

The moment Darnic had obtained the relic that would later summon Caster, he immediately began construction on an additional chamber for where they would house the beast if need arise. After hearing that she didn't actually know how to summon and control it, he had believed that it would have gone to waste. However, thanks to researching extensively through the past few months, Caster eventually learned how to do so. Yet she still lacked the ability to control the beast.

Darnic however was able to discover a method, learning how through old research notes from his ancestors and other data obtained throughout the years. Caster actually knew of the method, but little of it as it wasn't her field of expertise. That said, she was able to quickly grasp what was needed by studying the notes given to her by Darnic.

The first step to said option included summoning the creature and having Saber of Black face it himself. After all, what better opponent for a dragon other than a dragon-slayer? That left Lancer standing by acting as the former's backup if need arise.

"As much as I would like to have all our Servants here, I'll admit I am curious to see whether or not the legend lives up to his reputation." Lancer commented with a smirk. "Be sure to take this seriously Saber, otherwise you may end up looking like a fool in need of rescuing."

"Very well." Saber nodded. He wasn't insulted or agitated by Lancer's attempts at goading him, for he knew that the former was only merely saying that he should watch himself in his own way. Though rough, the Lord Impaler still showed a degree of care towards his comrades even if they were to end up fighting in the near future.

"Remember Saber, not only is your life on the line, but your pride and my own as well!" Gordes declared, standing with both hands behind his back. "Do not perform less than what your best can do, do you understand me?"

"Uncle, I think Lancer more or less already said that..." Roche stated while scratching his cheek. Really now, what was it with people and the their need to repeat statements which were just said? This is why he liked working with golems more, and to a lesser extent, homunculi. Though the latter could make snippy remarks due to their nature, they were for the most part quiet and obedient.

"That reminds me," Darnic began as he looked at Gordes. "Gordes, have you heard of anything from Fiore? That girl went into the city earlier to investigate something and has yet to send any word about her status."

"No, I haven't." The portly man replied. "However, I did walk past by Caules earlier who was looking for her."

"Oh? Did something happen?"

"Nothing of the sort as far as I know. Only that the boy is worried about his sister." Gordes stated. "I believe that he even took Berserker and Rider with him in order to search the city for her. You know how he can be."

"Hmph. If that weakling has time to worry over others, perhaps he should spend it trying to improve his skills as a magus." Celenike scoffed. She was also annoyed at the fact that Rider decided to tag along with her nephew as well. Really now, she was his Master! She would have to remind him of that later. For now, she decided to bare witness to what was about to occur.

"Perhaps." Darnic said in response to Celenike's statement. "However, his worry over Fiore serves to be useful in this situation. Knowing him, he'll strive to be by her side whenever he feels that she's in danger and try to help her in any way possible. Such is the power that sibling love has."

"Shall we begin Lord Darnic?" Caster suddenly asked, turning to the blue-haired man. "The preparations are now complete. All I await now is your command."

"Do it."

The Witch of Betrayal nodded in response, raising her arm up in front of her with her hand stretched out. Chanting the words needed, a large magic circle appeared right in front of Saber, who himself remained unfazed during the process as energy began to surge throughout the room.

Months of preparation had gone into this, now it was about to pay off. Thinking this, she walked over to the edge of the circle and summoned what appeared to be a golden cloth in her hand before throwing it onto ground. At that, the energy began to surge erratically even more.

"Now it begins..."

A bright light then enveloped the room and temporarily blinded those who stood within it. The only ones who weren't bothered by it were the Servants themselves.

Once the light died out, the Masters of Black slowly opened their eyes. While they did so, a large grin appeared on Lancer's face that was soon followed up by Darnic's own as they all saw what stood right before Saber of Black.

A dragon...

A serpentine like monstrosity with a long body, three tongues, and a crest on its forehead. Lacking legs, the only other appendages it had were the wings on its back. It was truly the Colchian Dragon of legend, such was the thought of those in the room the moment they laid their eyes upon it.

"Magnificent! Simply magnificent!"

The dragon payed no heed towards whatever Lancer had said. Instead, it was completely occupied with what was standing right in front of him.

It was curious as to why the creature in front of him wasn't terrified. Throughout its lifetime, most others who were the small creature's size would quickly run away after seeing it merely once. It supposed that such a thing was normal, that it was simply nature for the small to fear the big.

Apparently this was not the case right now. If a dragon could have pride, the Dragon of Colchis most certainly did. When it saw that Saber of Black wasn't afraid of it, he took that as an affront to its might. As such, it could not allow it to stand.

Roaring, it stretched out its wings and prepared to attack.

In response, Saber merely drew out his sword and readied himself. There was only one thing he had to say regarding the large beast that was right in front of him as it bare its fangs at him.

Fafnir was bigger...

* * *

The next morning...

"Wait, there's going to be an alliance between the two factions?"

Ayaka sat with her mouth agape, staring at both Jeanne as the former revealed the new piece of information given to her last night. Currently, the group was having breakfast with Arthur having been the one to cook their meals after insisting that he be allowed to do something other than just sit around. Ayaka had to admit that he wasn't half-bad. She didn't expect a heroic spirit of all things to be able to cook a meal like how a modern person would.

"Yes, it will take place tomorrow night at the Black Faction's castle." Jeanne replied, taking a bite out of her meal.

"I see." Ayaka muttered before something came to mind. "Wait, why are you telling me this?"

"Ah, that's because I want you and Lancer to accompany both me and Arthur there." The young saint stated in response. "With everything you've given me, I use it help enforce the idea of an alliance between the two factions against the man known as Shirou Kotomine. Considering your unique circumstances, having you explain it yourself adds more to our case."

"Uh... are you sure they'll even trust me?" The glasses-wearing blonde asked, shivering slightly in fear. "I heard that the leader of the Black Faction once fought against one of my relatives in the past. He may not like the idea of, you know..."

Arthur's eyes narrowed slightly at the mention of relative. He was wondering if it was Manaka whom she was referring to, or if it was one of the other Masters he had fought during together with her sixty years ago? Darnic Prestone was one of the few he remembered, and that was thanks to seeing him again after all these years.

"Do not worry, I will vouch for your presence there." The young saint reassured her fellow blonde with a smile.

"Well that's something I guess..." Ayaka sighed. She had a feeling that she would have to speak in front of a group of people later. Personally, she'd rather hide in a corner before she would do that. Though the girl had felt that she was a sociable enough person, she always found trouble speaking when faced with so many eyes baring down upon her.

"With that out of the way, I have something to ask you guys about."

With that, Lancer came upon the group with a cigarette in hand and smoke fumes coming out from his mouth.

"What is it Lancer?" Ayaka looked at her Servant with a curious gaze.

"Wait, if you're going to smoke, do it out on the balcony." Arthur reprimanded. Really now, what would Lancer do if he accidentally set off the sprinkler system within the room with that cigarette of his?

"Geez, lighten up a little would you? It's only a light smoke." The blue-haired spearsman replied in a somewhat sardonic tone. "Anyway, your identities. Mind telling us what they are?"

"Ah, Lancer!" Ayaka began, astounded that her Servant would even ask something like that so casually.

"I see that you don't beat around the bush, do you Hound of Chulainn?" Jeanne replied. She had been expecting this from Lancer. "Very well then, since we are in an alliance with one another, I suppose revealing our identities to you wouldn't pose too much of a problem. I suppose we can treat it as formally introducing ourselves to each other."

"I had a feeling you'd know my name already." Lancer smirked slightly as he sat down on a chair.

"Is that really okay though?"

"It's not like our names are something we're trying to hide." Arthur chuckled and smiled. "Considering my Master's status as the mediator of this Holy Grail War, her identity was bound to be discovered one way or another. Revealing it the two factions was a sign of trust on her part, that in knowing her identity, it showed that she will truly remain neutral as a mediator. Mine as well considering my role as her Servant."

Ayaka nodded in understanding, the young man's words making enough sense to her. She also wondered why a Servant could summon another Servant for herself, but she regaled it to the fact that since there were fourteen Servants, perhaps she needed an insurance to help her mediate the war. The only solution she could think of would be to summon another Servant herself.

"Now then, let's begin." The young saint began as she gestured to herself. "My name is Jeanne d'Arc. It's a pleasure to meet you Ayaka Tohsaka, let us work together for the sake of preserving tomorrow shall we?"

"E-Eh? Ah, right!" Ayaka smiled as she and Jeanne shook hands. The former was somewhat awestruck at the fact that she was meeting a real live saint. Considering that her family were actually Catholics, though not as faithful as some considering their profession as a family of magi, she supposed that this was one of the highest honors she could have from a religious point of view, especially since that person was Jeanne d'Arc herself.

"And my name is Arthur Pendragon. As we are now allies, please count on me for aid in the future should you ever need it." Arthur stated afterwards as both the glasses-wearing blonde and Lancer looked at him.

"E-Eh!?" Saber was King Arthur!? Ayaka couldn't help but blink in surprise and shock that she was meeting one of the more famous mythological figures throughout the world. It was no wonder that she found that he had such a regal presence to him.

"I knew it." Lancer commented with a smirk on his face.

"Oh, so you already knew?"

"Had a feeling about who you were the moment Ruler mentioned your name last night." Lancer replied. "That, and that holy sword of yours is kinda famous don't you know? Hard to mistake it for something else."

"That it is..." The young man couldn't help but agree on Lancer's statement.

"Wait, what's with that reaction...?"

Off to the side, Jeanne couldn't help but pout in annoyance as she commented upon the differing reaction that Ayaka had in response to finding out her identity and her response to Arthur's. She suppose that it couldn't be helped considering her partner's identity. But still, she couldn't help but get annoyed.

 _'Ah, I shouldn't act like this.'_ She then scolded herself mentally. _'As a servant of the Lord, I shouldn't allow myself to fall to vanity.'_

Jeanne then proceeded to finish her meal that morning, her thoughts drifting the eventual meeting that would take place tomorrow night between the two factions of Red and Black. Wondering to herself if _that person_ would show up there.

_'I doubt that man would decide to show his face now that we know about him. But, I suppose we should be ready for anything just in case.'_

* * *

"Are you sure you're alright?"

Around the same time Jeanne and her group were having breakfast, Caules and Fiore were in the latter's room shortly after she woke up. The former stood watch over his older sister the entire night due to his worry for her after receiving an injury from the terminator wannabe she had fought.

"Really now Caules, you shouldn't worry so much about me." Fiore stated as she smiled at him. She felt that she was blessed to have such a caring younger brother. In most other magi families, siblings caring for each other would be a laughable idea to some.

"Sorry, I can't help it." Caules replied. "Seriously though, you really think working together with the Masters of Red is a good idea?"

"Yes." The female brunette said in response. "With our combined strength, I most certainly believe that we will be able to handle the situation of the rogue Servants and whoever is in charge of them."

"In charge of them?"

"Be honest Caules, you don't actually think that those rogue Servants aren't working for anybody?"

"Point taken." The young man said as he sat down a chair. "Still, I'm amazed that you managed to convince grandfather to agree to it."

"Well, it wasn't that hard..." Fiore grimaced.

Soon after returning home last night, she quickly found out that her grandfather had discovered what she had done. To say that he was somewhat livid would be understating it. Had it not been for the fact that Lancer approved of the idea, Fiore felt that she would have been punished by her grandfather for even thinking about working together with the Mage's Association.

A knock on the door quickly interrupted any thoughts she had left as the young brunette called out that it was open.

"Master, I brought both you and young master Caules breakfast."

Smiling as he did so, Chiron entered the room with a tray filled with food enough for two people. Looking at his right arm, Caules noticed that despite the wound having been already closed thanks to Fiore's magic, it wasn't fully healed yet. He could tell since there was a slight difference in how he moved left arm in comparison to his right. That may prove a problem in the future.

_'Sure hope this alliance works out. Otherwise, I'm worried for sis and Archer.'_

* * *

"So, how do you like your new name?"

Walking about the castle together with his homunculus friend now named Sieg, Astolfo poised the question that was on his mind since last night.

"It's alright I suppose." Sieg replied.

"Hey now, you should react with a little more oomph don't you know~?" The young paladin whined. It was somewhat troublesome talking with the homunculi thanks to the default emotionless states that all them seemed to share with one another. That said, as Caules had put it, they had enough sense of self to be, what he called, a "smartass".

The pink-haired paladin found the title to be appropriately given, though he didn't actually understand what the word meant though he felt he understood what it was supposed to mean.

"My apologies, I suppose that it's just the way I am." The former stated in response.

Honestly though, Sieg couldn't understand why Rider was always bothering him and the other homunculi with his endeavors throughout the castle. He couldn't understand why a Heroic Spirit would bother wasting his time with them. They, who were created to be nothing more than to be instruments and tools to be used by their creators. If he wanted companionship, he could easily go to his fellow Servants or the other Masters. He believed that they would provide better company to the pink-haired youth.

Speaking of which, Sieg couldn't tell whether or not the young paladin was male or female. To have such androgyny... If he were told that Rider was a homunculus, he would have believed it easily. That was the only one could explain his appearance.

"Ah, so here you were."

Turning around to look at the source of the voice, both saw Caster of Black approaching them.

"Oh, it's you Caster." Astolfo greeted before giving off a quizzical look towards the woman. "Say, have you ever considered pulling down your hood? That thing must get really uncomfortable since you always have it on~"

"Hehehe~" The Servant of Magic merely giggled at this as she smiled at the young paladin. "I assure you it's not, and I prefer it this way. I suppose that it helps remind of me who I was and what I desire from the Holy Grail."

"Uwah~! The way you said that just now sounded a little dark...!" Astolfo couldn't help bu feel a sinister aura come from his ally.

"Oh, do I scare you~?" She continued to giggle. He supposed that the feeling he got was due to her being a mage. Those who practiced magic were often grouped together evil and other such nonsense. Personally, he believed that Caster was a good person. Certainly, she may have made some mistakes in the past. But what was important was what she chose to do _now_ rather than what she did before. And she's been quite helpful to their cause, and she was nice to talk to for the most part.

"So then, were you looking for us?" The young paladin asked.

"Indeed. I heard from one of the servant that a certain someone was with you."

"Oh! So you were looking for Sieg then!"

"Sieg?"

"It's his new name!" The pink-haired male stated as he laid an arm over said person's shoulders. "Don't you think it's nice? I've It's so much more easier giving them names than just calling them homunculus or something."

"I suppose so." Caster nodded. True, with so many of the homunculi looking alike, it was hard to tell who was who at some points and names would lessen that problem. Why Gordes decided to name only a few them was beyond her, but perhaps it was because he felt that the exceptional ones were the few who deserved to be named.

Still, she was amused by the fact that Rider had gone out of his way to try naming them himself. Such a friendly character he was.

"At any rate, I need him to accompany me for a task that I need fulfilled." Caster revealed.

"Really? What is it?"

"An experiment." The hooded-woman replied. "One that may prove useful to us in the coming days."

"It's nothing dangerous is it?" Astolfo inquired as he began frowning. "If it is, then I won't allow it!"

"If it was going to be dangerous, I wouldn't proceed with it." Caster calmly assured her ally. "You've grown quite fond of these homunculi haven't you?"

"Of course! It matters not how they were born, but the fact that they're living right here and now!" The young paladin stated in response. "On my good name as a Heroic Spirit, I won't allow anyone to harm them. They'll have to go through me first."

Caster blinked at this in surprise, taken aback by the serious look that Rider was giving her. This was the first time she had seen such a look on him.

"I assure you. Should the procedure show chances of failing, then I will stop it immediately." She lied. While Caster had become fond of the young paladin, she had been tasked with something that could help ensure their success in the future. As such, she couldn't allow anything to get in the way of that.

"If you wish, you may even come along and observe."

Crossing both arms, the pink-haired warrior began to think. A short moment later, he had his answer.

"Alright~! That sounds reasonable~!"

"Come along then." Caster motioned as the two followed.

* * *

Out on the balcony of the hotel suite where they stayed, Jeanne decided to admire the view for now while she had the chance.

"No matter how much time passes, some things really don't change do they?" She muttered to herself as she smiled.

Though the building she was standing on was much taller, it still reminded of her of the times when she stood atop a high point in an area and just decided to take in the view. Just like back then, the sky was beautiful to look at, the land almost stretching far out into the horizon.

Since the meeting wouldn't be held until tomorrow night, she had a day off today as she knew that with what was coming, she doubted that there would be any conflicts between the two factions. And the man known as Shirou Kotomine would most likely try to stay hidden now that she about him.

 _'That person... just what is he really after?'_ She thought. _'Is it truly to save the world? If so, how would he go about it?'_

If she were to be honest with herself, Jeanne felt that perhaps her enemy wasn't someone who should be considered an enemy at all. If his goals were benevolent, then surely he was a good person at heart? She would need to confront him herself in order to get a clearer picture of things. Ayaka's information may have been useful, but it was better to hear everything from the source itself. There was a chance she had merely misinterpreted what she heard.

_'Perhaps I can convince this person to stand down...?'_

"Contemplating about what to do with our enemy?" A voice called out as Arthur appeared walking up to her.

"How did you know?" She asked as he leaned against the railing where she stood.

"I'm good at guessing I suppose." He replied with a smile. "So then, care to enlighten me to what your troubles are this time Master?"

"I'm just wondering about the future, about this man called Shirou Kotomine."

"Saving the world huh...?" Arthur looked up at the sky. "As naive as it sounds, I have to admit that it's a goal that even I might end up supporting so long as the means to do so are something I could tolerate."

"Do you think we could perhaps convince this person to stand down?" She asked. "In spite of everything, I believe that there could be a chance for him to surrender. I mean, his does have well intentions."

"Intentions we still don't know much about other than what Ayaka has told us." The young man replied. "Don't forget, he _ordered_ Lancer to assassinate you. You, the mediator of this Holy Grail War. No matter his intentions, the fact that he would do such a thing should imply what he's like. As a knight sworn to protect you, it's not something I can forgive."

"Ah, I suppose you're right." The young saint nodded in agreement, smiling at Arthur's protectiveness of her. "Since we have the time, I'd like to ask you something about the Holy Grail War you fought in."

"Eh? Saber-san fought in a grail war before?"

Looking back, both saw Ayaka standing at the entrance leading into the suite's living room. The girl had a surprised look on her face, which was to be expected considering what she had just heard.

"Ah..." Jeanne could only cover her mouth in response. Perhaps it would've been better for to have ask Arthur somewhere private? She looked at the young man who was smiling slightly, which she knew was directed at her blunder. At this, she pouted at him in response.

_"Don't you say anything."_

_"Yes, yes."_ She heard him telepathically chuckled.

"Ah, I didn't mean to interrupt you two if you were discussing something important." Ayaka said, noticing the looks on both of their faces. "I'll leave you both to-"

"Wait," Arthur called out as the glasses-wearing blonde stopped in her tracks. "You can stay. Our discussion just now isn't really something of importance. Perhaps you would like to join us?"

"Is it really okay?" She saw him nod. At this, she went over to the duo and leaned on the railing opposite of Jeanne on the other side of Arthur. The young saint wondered what the young man was doing allowing Ayaka to join them in discussing the former's past. It just seemed so sudden.

"So... Saber-san fought in a grail war before?" Ayaka began. "But how can you remember it? I heard before that Servants shouldn't be able to remember anything at all from a past summoning."

"I will not bother you with all the details, just know that I'm someone with special circumstances." Arthur replied looking at the girl. "Also, the one I fought in was over sixty years ago in your time to be exact. I believe one of your ancestors participated in it as well."

"My ancestors?" She stated in wonder. "Ah, now that I remember it, Uncle did tell me once that his grandfather fought in it himself before. I think it was the same one where grandma's older sister fought too."

"Older Sister?" The young man quickly noted the term as the blonde haired teen blinked in surprise.

"Eh? Ah, yes. My grandmother told me stories about the Holy Grail War before, about how her older sister fought in it herself." Ayaka revealed. "She said that they were winning, but in the end, they ended up losing their lives."

"I see... I feel sorry for your grandmother's lost." Arthur said, and Jeanne noticed the somewhat perturbed look on her partner's face.

 _"Arthur, what's wrong...?"_ The young saint telepathically asked.

_"It's nothing. I was just confirming something is all."_

_"Don't lie to me. You have that same look on you face whenever you feel troubled."_ Jeanne quickly retorted, giving an annoyed look towards the young man who noticed and flinched. _"Be honest and just tell me what's going-"_

Jeanne then paused briefly as her mind began putting together the things said between Arthur and Ayaka, along with the conversation she had with the former just last night. It quickly became clear to her just what exactly the young man was thinking about.

_"Wait, don't tell me this has something to do with your former Master?"_

_"Of the sort. Manaka had a little sister who was also named Ayaka."_ Arthur revealed as Jeanne widened her eyes. _"The Ayaka that's with us right now actually resembles both sisters rather greatly. It cannot be a coincidence that I ran into someone who looks so much like the two of them."_

_"Really? But what would that-"_

"Wait a minute you two."

Ayaka's voice called out as the other two blondes looked at her and saw that she an annoyed look on her face. Her glasses were shining somewhat thanks to the light that reflected of them, giving the image a bespectacled terror about unleash her wrath upon them.

"Don't tell me you guys are communicating through telepathy?" Both flinched in response. "I knew it. That's a little rude when there's another person here you know..."

"Ahaha, my apologies." Arthur was the first to respond, both hands raised in an apologetic manner.

"Yes, that was quite rude of us." Jeanne bowed her head.

"Geez..." Ayaka muttered annoyed. The former was the one who invited her to join the two of them in the first place. And then they have a telepathic communication with each other? Well, at least both Saber and Ruler apologized for their unintentional rudeness. Unlike a certain other someone...

"Speaking of which, where's Lancer...?" The young saint asked.

"Ah, that idiot said he'd be down below in the bar." The girl replied. "Knowing him, he's probably drinking already. Geez, and it's still so early in the morning too."

* * *

"Achoo!"

Down below in the hotel bar, Lancer felt a sneeze coming on as he made sure to direct it away from anybody close to him. Such a thing caused those within the bar to look at him in wonder for a good few moments before returning to their own respective businesses.

"Damn, fumes must be getting to me or something."

He muttered that to himself as he continued to drink from the glass of wine in his hands. Since they had a free day today, the blue-haired spearsman decided to spend it lounging about at the bar. With something nice to drink and a good atmosphere, this was the perfect place for him to relax on his own.

"Missy! Another round please!"

* * *

"So then, have our Masters sent any word yet?"

Seated atop a stone pillar, Atalanta poised her question to the white-haired Servant who had been standing down below and leaning against said pillar with his both his arms crossed and eyes closed. Currently, the two were waiting for their next set of instructions at the ruins of an old building from the middle ages.

Normally preferring to be quiet due to his inability to learn _tact_ as someone once told him long ago, Karna decided to answer anyway. Though he decided to tread lightly as to avoid irritating the golden-haired Archer above him with his words.

"None that I know of. Feeling bored are you?"

"Perhaps." The Chaste Huntress shrugged, staring blankly into the sky as she spoke.

Karna could understand Archer's feelings. He too was feeling the same as he was a warrior. As such, part of him desire to partake in a battle. Though unlike Archer, he was able to satisfy himself with the duel he had with his fellow Lancer Cu Chulainn. Said person was the first to truly injure him since his summoning. Even now, though the wound had closed itself he could still feel pain coming from it.

Gae Bolg was a cursed spear that would leave wounds that could not be healed, so perhaps it was to be expected. In order for it heal properly, the white-haired Servant believed that he would need to destroy the weapon itself. That said, he didn't allow the injury to affect him much.

"You should go hunting." He then suggested to his ally. "That was one of your habits in the past was it not? It's in your title after all."

"And what purpose would that serve? We are Servants after all. The thrill of the hunt disappears when you're far superior to your prey." She replied before her ears suddenly perked up like an animals. "Oh, it looks like someone's arriving."

Said person walked out slowly from the woods, wearing a black cloak and a strange white mask. Both Servants present immediately recognized him as Rider. Narrowing her eyes, Archer spoke as he walked closer towards them.

"It's only you? What do you want, child of Zeus?"

"Truly it seems that you have a desire of announcing my ancestry so casually everytime we speak, don't you Archer?" Rider chuckled slightly as he laid a hand on his mask and removed it, revealing a rather handsome young man with light green eyes bordering on yellow and dark-purple colored hair.

"You'll forgive me for thinking that you may perhaps be a philandering fool like your father Perseus." Atalanta replied, maintaining a distasteful look on her face. "Though considering your history, I suppose I shouldn't judge you as someone you're clearly not."

Perseus, the slayer of the monster known as Medusa. Considered to be one of the few heroes in Greek Mythology what many would consider a happy ending.

"I would appreciate that. The only woman for me would be Andromeda, and I intend to keep it that way." He smiled in response, before a glint of mischief appeared in his eyes as he looked up directly at Archer.

"Also, I can see up your skirt from down here."

Said statement resulted in an arrow narrowly missing Perseus' head as the Chaste Huntress then proceeded to land on the earth below. Quickly standing up right, she aimed her bow at him all the while glaring at the purple-haired Servant.

"Why you insolent little...!"

"That's enough Archer, he's only trying to get a reaction out of you." Karna stated, opening an eye and directing it towards Perseus. "So then, why did you come here?"

"Orders to return from Miss Angelica." The latter replied as the other two reacted in surprise. "She says that we are to strike at our enemies soon, and that we should begin preparations at the garden."

"Is that so?" The white-haired demigod stated, wondering to himself why their Master couldn't just tell them that himself through their telepathic link. He thought that it was perhaps due to him being busy. Considering what Rider had just stated, he believed it to be so.

"Why is it that our Master had to go through with all this sneaking about in the first place?" Atalanta couldn't help but voice out. "With our combined strength, surely we could've easily taken on any who stood in our way."

"Our Master prefers to win his battles without having fought in them." Karna replied as he began musing to himself. "Perhaps he desired to have the Red Faction and Black Faction whittle each other's strengths down first, which would then allow us to step in and claim victory over both. It would be the most logical conclusion I can come to."

"I see." The grass-haired archer nodded in response, agreeing with Lancer's statement.

"Alright then, shall we get going?"

With that, the three Servants quickly left the area.

* * *

Soon time quickly passed and the following day came.

Later that evening, Jeanne, Arthur, and Ayaka stood right in front of the Yggdmillennia castle gate.

Or what was left of it anyway. After the resulting clash between Mordred and Siegfried's respective Noble Phantasms, it was mostly rubble at this point. That said, repairs were already underway as seen with the appearance of several homunculi and golems. Though there were still signs of battle that littered the area where they stood.

Speaking of which, Lancer himself was in spirit mode for the time being at the request of Jeanne. She felt that it would be better for Lancer to remain unseen until the meeting itself. Though he had his reservations, the blue-haired spearsman agreed and went along with the young saint.

"Hauuh..."

"Nervous?" Jeanne asked, noticing the glasses-wearing blonde looking somewhat pale.

"Do you even need to ask me that?" Ayaka muttered in reply as the young saint merely smiled in response, understanding what the girl was going through.

After their talk out on the balcony, Arthur decided to drop the topic about the possibility of Ayaka being related to his former Master for now as they bigger concerns such as the upcoming alliance meeting.

Jeanne agreed with his decision, but the young saint couldn't help sigh at the idea of being suspicious of their new found ally. Though logical to assume, she found it to be unhealthy to be always be suspicious of those around you.

"I see you that you've arrived, Ruler."

Looking ahead, the blonde saw a young man with black hair wearing what appeared to be a Japanese school uniform? She was slightly perturbed by the cold look he gave off, but quickly shrugged it off as she spoke.

"You're the Master of Assassin, aren't you?"

"Indeed I am." He replied, bowing slightly in respect. "Julian Ainsworth, at your service. I've been tasked by Lord Darnic in leading you to the location where the meeting is to take place tonight."

"I see then." Jeanne nodded in response. "Please lead the way."

"I shall. But first," Julian began as he gazed at Ayaka. "That girl. Who is she? I was expecting only for you and your Servant to arrive here tonight."

Said glasses-wearing blonde froze up when she saw the cold gaze the teen directed at her. Something about him just didn't sit well with her.

"Please don't mind her. She's part of my entourage." Jeanne replied. "I trust that her presence will not prove to be troublesome?"

The blonde felt the young man's gaze grow intense for a good few moments before he decided to relent, turning around as he spoke.

"Alright then, my task for tonight is to merely guide you to the meeting point. Who you bring along doesn't really concern me I suppose." He stated as he began walking with the trio soon following after him.

_'So that girl is going to be attending as well? It looks like Kotomine's instincts were right.'_

* * *

Nearing the location of the meeting, Julian soon left once he was sure that the group knew where they would be going, saying that he had important business to take care of.

"Oh? It's about time you arrived Ruler!"

Entering the same room where she first met Lancer of Black and his Master, Jeanne and the other came across the sight of the members of both Red Faction and Black Faction seated apart from each other across a large table, with Rider of Red greeting the young saint with enthusiasm in his voice.

Said person happen to wearing a simple blue pants and a white t-shirt that had what appeared to be a world map imprinted on it along with words Admirable Tactics III. Such an appearance could cause slight bewilderment in those who weren't in the Red Faction. Was Rider seriously going to attend the meeting dressed like that? Every other Servant in the room wore their usual regalia in battle.

"Greetings to everyone." Jeanne began, shaking her head as she remembered her current situation. "I apologize if we kept everyone waiting."

"Not at all, we only just assembled a short while ago." The King of Conquerors replied.

"Hmph..."

Mordred immediately began to glare when saw her father enter the room. Arthur saw this and merely shook his head, having expected the reaction. Beside her, sat her Master Kairi Shishigou. Who for some reason had a look of distaste that was directed at the members of the Black Faction. Not that it was any surprising itself considering that up until this point, both factions were enemies.

The others who were in the room included Archer of Red and his Master who was a blonde haired little girl. The former was smirking as he saw their group enter. Arthur couldn't help but frown at him as result. After those two were Lancer of Red and his Master, the girl who bore a striking resemblance to Mordred. Arthur wondered why that was, but decided it was a topic for another time.

On the side of the Black Faction was Darnic and Lancer of Black. A young brunette girl sat beside Archer of Black, with Jeanne quickly identifying her as Fiore Forvedge, the same person who had set up the meeting in the first place. Continuing where she left off, the others left were Saber of Black and his Master, Berserker of Black and her Master, and a woman with a rather sharp look to her who looked rather annoyed for some reason.

"Uwah... so many people." Ayaka muttered. Someone just shoot her now!

"I see, so that's the girl whom Archer was talking about." Waver spoke out as everyone looked at him.

"El-Melloi, you know her or something?" Kairi asked.

"Of the sort. After all, I'm sponsoring one of her cousins."

"Eh? Sponsoring? Wait, you don't mean Rin do you mister...?" The glasses-wearing blonde asked in surprise.

"Call me Lord El-Melloi II. Tohsaka Ayaka, your cousin is going to be one of my future students." Waver replied.

At this, Ayaka quickly realized that the long-haired man was the same person Rin had talked to her about whenever she would talk about the Clock Tower. With someone with his status sponsoring her, Rin believed that her future was already partially going to be a successful one once she graduated high-school. A fact that she would like to repeat more than once.

"U-Uh...! It's a pleasure to meet you Lord El-Melloi!"

"It's El-Melloi II." Waver muttered in annoyance. It was incredibly grating to hear the name spoken without _**II**_ being included in it. It made him feel like his old professor was still around and haunting him as a result. He didn't need that hanging over his head, not with all the work he's done in the past few years.

"Did you say Tohsaka?" Darnic stated in a subdued tone. He hadn't expected a member of that family to appear here out of all places. Last he heard they had given up on the Holy Grail themselves and began seeking other ways in reaching the Root.

"Yes, she's indeed a Tohsaka." Waver stated in response to hearing Darnic's words before turning his gaze back towards the young teen.

"Perhaps he and I share the same question. Why is a member of the Tohsaka here? With a Holy Grail War going on, it cannot be a coincidence."

"Uh... I suppose you could say that."

"In the first place, perhaps you should have that Servant behind your materialize first. You cannot fool me young lady." Vlad revealed, causing the others to quickly react in alert as they stared at the young teen all at once. Who herself flinched at the sudden attention being directed at her.

"Please calm down, this girl is our ally." Jeanne reassured, looking at Ayaka. "Have Lancer materialize."

Nodding at this, the glasses-wearing blonde telepathically called out to Lancer.

Soon, the blue-haired spearsman appeared leaning against the wall. Arms crossed with a smirk on his face, he raised on arm and waved.

"Yo! Quite a gathering you people have here." He greeted.

"A Lancer-Class Servant?" Gordes muttered in bewilderment. "Just how on earth do you have control over a Servant girl?"

"That's what were about to discuss." Jeanne replied before noticing something off. "Wait, are some of your members not going to attend this meeting?"

"Julian, Rider, and Caster are working as our security force for now. They'll be the ones to keep an eye out for any potential threats or strange events occurring." Darnic replied. Obviously though, he was lying. Only Julian was working as their security force together with the Assassins.

Currently, Caster was working on the pet project they began the other day with Roche working alongside her. Rider decided to watch over both of them in case of something happening during the process. That, and there was the fact that the young paladin was rather attached to the homunculus he had named Sieg.

"I see. And what of the other Red Masters and Servants?"

"The Masters of both Caster and Berserker already withdrew some time ago." Waver revealed, surprising the members of the Black Faction and Jeanne's group. "They transferred their command spells to the Master of Assassin long before we even knew of about it."

"Assassin of Red's Master... it's the man known as Shirou Kotomine isn't it?" Jeanne asked.

The former nodded at this. "Indeed, Archer has already told us everything about what you told him. Though it wasn't easy getting out of him that is."

Jeanne looked at the Golden King who merely smirked at her after noticing her gaze.

"Kotomine? I remember that name being associated with the former mediator of the Grail War sixty years ago back in Japan." Darnic stated with a curious look. "Is it a child of his or a relative that participates this time?"

"From what I know, he was adopted." Waver replied. "At any rate, he's also going to be part of the reason why I believe this alliance is going to be a necessary one."

"And why is that?" Fiore asked. She was honestly curious to hear more on why Lord El-Melloi II had agreed to her request other than the fact that he also believed the rogue Servants to be a threat to the Holy Grail War.

"I believe Ruler will be able to fill you in on everything." The long-haired man stated as he gestured to the young saint.

With that, all eyes returned their gazes to Jeanne. The blonde took a moment to breath before speaking

"As you all no doubt have suspected yourselves by this point, the rogue Servants have someone leading them behind the shadows. That person is none other than Shirou Kotomine." She revealed, the Black Faction members widening their eyes somewhat in shock at this piece of news.

"Hmph, so a member of the Red Faction is in control of the rogue Servants?" Celenike spoke with a sneer on her face.

"And what are you implying?" Reines spoke up, narrowing her eyes at the older woman.

"What do you think?"

"What I think is that you are a vain old woman considering your appearance and one who poses rather ridiculous statements. Does that satisfy your question?" Reines asked with smile, the gray-haired woman glaring viciously at the young blonde. Archer gave off an entertained smirked at his young Master's successful goading of the latter.

"Enough!" Vlad stated, demanded to be precise, as both quickly froze up. "We are here to have talks, not to trade barbs at one another. Ruler, please continue."

Nodding at this, Jeanne continued to speak.

"Now, to help further our understanding of this person, I have brought someone along with me who can help us with just that."

"The Tohsaka girl?" Darnic asked, gazing at the glasses-wearing blonde. "Well then child, speak to us what you know."

"U-Uh right!" Ayaka stuttered as she stepped forward.

Taking a deep breath to herself, she only had one thought going through her mind just before she spoke.

_'Well, here goes nothing...!'_

* * *

Much like how she did so with Jeanne, Ayaka began to explain everything she knew about their enemies. To say that the other Masters were shock would be an understatement. Cards that could summon Servants and help sustain them on their own without the aid of a grail? Such things would have been preposterous for them to consider had it not been for the fact that they had no other information to go on.

Darnic could only narrow his eyes though. Not at the Tohsaka girl, but at what she said about the items she called Class-Cards. It reminded him of something from long ago, but he could not remember where.

"Now that we've covered that topic, I believe that it's time to move on to our main topic for tonight." Jeanne spoke up as all looked towards her.

"Through his Servants, he has twice attempted to assassinate me. That alone should prove more than enough reason to for me to consider him an enemy to both myself and to the order of the Holy Grail War. What Miss Tohsaka has revealed about him helps to support my views. As such, I can no longer remain on the side as he continues his machinations in the shadows. He and his group will prove to be dangerous adversaries if taken lightly."

"So I declare this. Both Red and Black, your Factions are too cease hostilities with each other at this moment in order to deal with a bigger threat. I ask, will you all decide to stand together? Or will you refuse?"

No one immediately answered her question, the Masters and Servants of each group silently contemplating the young saint's words and everything that had been revealed to them so far.

"Very well then, you have my support Ruler." The first to speak up was none other than Vlad himself. "As you said, they are a foe that cannot be treated lightly. With our combined might however, we can surely crush them where they stand."

"And you can count on my support as well!" Rider of Red declared with a smile. "Teaming up with so many people like this is quite a rare opportunity!"

Soon after their respective Servants voiced their stance on the matter, Waver and Darnic added their piece as well.

"Considering that Kotomine was one of ours, I feel responsible for him. From this moment on, myself and the others are your temporary allies Darnic Prestone." The former stated as the latter smiled.

"Hmph, very well then. Considering that Lancer has accepted, I suppose there can be no harm in a temporary team up such as this."

Such words coming from her grandfather caused a smile of relief to form Fiore's face. She was half-expecting him to refuse, but thankfully he saw enough reason thanks to both Ruler and the Tohsaka girl.

Seeing the events unfold, Gilgamesh had no nothing to say at the moment. After all, he already made it clear to Reines and the others the other day that he would not interfere with whatever Assassin and her Master had in store due to wishing to observe it for now.

That said, he only declared non-interference towards Assassin and her Master, not their allies. Considering what he had heard about them just now, he was truly interested in seeing how well they would fare against him or the other Servants in the room.

"Well... this is going to be a thing."

Those were the only words Kairi had to offer. He was still against the idea of working together with the Black Faction, but saw that it was a pragmatic choice in order to deal with the outsiders who were interfering with the Holy Grail War.

Looking beside him, he saw Mordred glaring continuously at her father. He sighed at this, she really hated her old man didn't she? Considering her temper, he found it a miracle that she hadn't attacked him throughout the discussion. Now they were all going to work together with Ruler and her group to take down Kotomine. He was wondering to himself what her thoughts on the matter were, but he was too much of a chicken to ask given the look on her face.

"Alright then, now with that out of the way, I suppose it's time for us Heroic Spirits to have a talk among ourselves. And the perfect way to do that is through wine!"

Like a stage magician performing a trick, Rider pulled out a large barrel from out of nowhere.

"Wait, where the hell did you get that?!"

"Hmm? From the wine cellar below." The King of Conquerors casually revealed as everyone stared at him in bewilderment, most especially the members of the Black Faction who were all wondering just how in the world did he do that without any of them noticing?

"Hah! I like this guy already." Lancer said, the blue-haired spearsman smirking at the King of Conquerors.

"Now then, I saw a pretty garden last time we were here. That would be a most appropriate spot for us to drink no?"

"Oh~! What's this about drinking~!?"

Astolfo appeared at the last moment, a smile on his face that was filled with wonder.

"What the? Rider? I thought you were busy with something else?" Caules wondered aloud.

"I'm already finished with that." The young paladin replied. "What's this I hear about drinking~?"

* * *

Smashing the barrel open with his fist, Iskander poured some wine into a cup provided for him by one of the many homunculi Servants. Taking a sip, he sighed in delight as he faced his fellow Servants who were all seated in a circle together as he began passing a drinks to all who were present.

The first of which being Arthur himself. Taking it with a smile, he drank.

"This is kinda surreal, isn't it?" Caules couldn't help but mutter. Seeing the sight of Heroic Spirits from different time periods seated together sharing drinks... he could find that there were no other words that could help describe it.

Speaking of which, he and the other Masters stood on the side watching the events unfold. He saw that almost everyone had a similar look to his own. That is, everyone except Lord El-Melloi II. He had the look of exasperation instead, like he was expecting something like this to happen.

"What? You expect us to drink this?"

Gilgamesh spoke up after having sampled the wine himself, a frown growing on his face.

"What, you don't like it?" Iskander asked.

"Fool, heroes such as ourselves can only drink the finest that there is. As such..."

Stretching out his hand, a golden light appeared beneath it as a golden container appeared beneath it and neatly landed itself onto the floor below.

"Allow me to rectify your mistake."

"Wait, that isn't the same stuff you took out the other day is it? I can still feel the headache from back then." Achilles questioned. As open as he was for a drink like any other man, there was somethings that even he wouldn't take again.

"Hah! I merely brought that out to see how long you would all last with but a taste." Archer smirked in response as he passed on several goblets to the others. "Clearly you lot were unprepared for a divine drink of that level. Thus, I believe something else should suffice."

"So you were messing with us? Ass..." The green-haired warrior muttered in annoyance.

"Maybe you idiots shouldn't have accepted it in the first place?" Mordred offhandedly commented with a smirk of her own.

Simultaneously, the group of Servants looked at one another and nodded, which at that point they each took a sip of their of wine provided by the Golden King. Just as quickly as they did however, they all widened their eyes in shock.

"Oh~! This is so good~!" Breaking the silence, Astolfo cried out in delight. In his lifetime of adventuring, this was the first time he had tasted something so delightful!

"Why didn't something like this exist when I was alive? So unfair~" Elizabeth sighed.

"Hahaha! That's it, praise the King for his kindness! You have all received a once in a lifetime opportunity to sample of one of his treasures." Gilgamesh declared with a haughty smile after seeing the groups various reactions.

Even Vlad had to admit that Archer had one fine delicacy with him, but together with both Siegfried and Chiron, they kept it to themselves. Iskander, Achilles, and Cu Chulainn on the other hand continued to drink up, savoring the taste.

Mordred herself didn't know how to react. Just how in the world did something like even exist in the first place? And just how in the world did Archer get his hands on it? The same question ran through Arthur's mind, but his was forgotten when he noticed that Jeanne had yet to drink from hers.

"Is something the matter?"

"Eh? Ah, no. There's nothing wrong. It's just..."

Since she was possessing Laeticia, Jeanne didn't know whether or not she should accept as the former was still underage. In her time, drinking such delicacies was common. But in modern times, there was now a limit to when a person can do so depending on the location.

"What's the matter? Is it because you have yet to taste delicacy's such as wine?" Gilgamesh smirked and then laughed in amusement. "Perhaps I should be calling you a little girl instead of Saber. She at least has enough steel within her to sample my treasure."

"Reference me like that again and I'll hit you." Mordred stated with a glare, one that the former ignored.

"Well then Ruler, will you drink? Or will you sit there and gawk like a fool while the rest of your fellows have done so themselves?"

Unamused by the Golden King's words, Jeanne's eyes narrowed and decided that she would to prove him wrong. She then put the goblet to her mouth and drank, an delightful sensation quickly overwhelming her mind.

"Oh my, this is...!" She blinked. That was the only thing she could do as she was speechless at how good it tasted.

"Wise choice. Had you refused, I might have been insulted." Gilgamesh declared before giving off a knowing smirk. "Whether or not you have special circumstances, I expect you to accept the kindness that the King gives you."

Jeanne's eyes widened in shock. Special circumstances? Did that mean that he knew about her and Laeticia? But how?

Her thoughts were interrupted when she heard Arthur calling out to Rider of Red.

"Now then Rider, I suspect that the reason you brought us all out here isn't just because you wanted a drink." He stated, to which the Servants directed curious looks at the King of Conquerors, who himself began smirking as he saw their gazes laid upon him.

"Indeed it isn't King of Knights." Rider began, making sure to gather everyone's attention, their Masters included. "As you all know, the Holy Grail is fated to end up in the hands of the one most worthy of it. Our conflict in Trifas to determine who that person will be."

Everyone nodded at this, though both Jeanne and Arthur didn't really know where he was going with this since they weren't fighting for the Holy Grail themselves.

"However, if it's only about deciding which of us is more worthy, then bloodshed isn't the only means that we can do it through now is it?" The red-haired man stated as he began smiling. "If we the Heroic Spirits are able to acknowledge the others' ranks then the matter should settle itself."

"In other words, you wish to hear why we desire the grail for each of ourselves, and then compare each with one another to decide who is most worthy of all." Vlad spoke up with his arms crossed. "Foolishness. Our wishes can never be greater nor smaller compared to one another. To each of us, it holds great value, enough so that we pit ourselves against each other in a battle to the death."

"I agree with Lancer." Gilgamesh added, playing with his goblet. "What are you playing at Rider?"

"Nothing at all." The large man replied. "Considering that we are all Heroic Spirits, with four of us having been sovereign rulers in the past, it was only inevitable that we have this talk among ourselves. And how much we value our wishes would matter little if the other's own wish has is greater in scope. There's also a chance that one of us would be able to grant the wishes of the others through granting our own."

"Then does that include us?" Arthur asked, gesturing to himself and Jeanne. "You should know that we're not actually fighting for the Grail ourselves."

"Of course I do. However, that doesn't mean you both would lack wishes does it? Even if you two cannot attain anything, I merely wish to hear what you either of you would want if you had the chance to obtain the grail for yourselves." Rider retorted with a knowing smile. "That, and I believed that it would be rude to not invite the two of you as well. So then, care to enlighten us as to what your wishes would be? How about you Ruler? If you had a wish you want granted, what would it be?"

"None at all." Jeanne replied without missing a beat. "If there's anything I would desire as a person, it would be that the Holy Grail War be conducted properly and without civilian casualties."

"As expected of a pure and honest saint, perhaps I shouldn't have bothered asking." Iskander chuckled briefly as he saw the resolute gaze the blonde had in her eyes. That meant that she was completely serious about what she had just said.

"Now then, who's going to go next?" He began before remembering the blonde-haired archer next to him. "Oh, what about you Archer? What's your wish? Why do you fight for the grail?"

"Fool, as if I would fight for something that's already mine to begin with." He stated as he took a sip from his goblet. Noticing the confused looks on everyone's faces, he decided to clarify. "In the first place, the origins of every single treasure of this world can be traced back to my treasury."

"So what? Are you saying you once had the Grail yourself?" Iskander asked with a smile. "Then that means you'd know exactly what it is?"

"No." The Golden King stated much to their surprise. "Do you think I would remember every single artifact that's been stored within my treasury? Don't be so foolish. The important fact is that it's a priceless treasure, so obviously it must've been one of mine. As such, those who would try to take it without my permission shall be severely punished. Such is the law of the King."

"Hah, it looks like Berserkers aren't the only ones who have gone mad in life."

Mordred scoffed, causing Gilgamesh to glare at his fellow Red Servant. Obviously, the comment was payback for earlier.

"Hey! I resent that!"

Elizabeth exclaimed in annoyance, pointing a finger at the former. Vlad laid a hand on his allies shoulder in order to calm her down. The former did so, but not before giving Mordred the stink eye which the red knight simply ignored while smirking.

"Well technically speaking, you were kinda not all there when you were alive..."

Caules muttered quietly to himself lest Berserker hear him. Considering her history, he wasn't surprised that Elizabeth Bathory qualified for the Berserker-Class in the first place. Bathing in the blood of others wasn't exactly a sane thing to do...

"Hahaha! Let's all try to get along." Iskander began as he took another sip from his goblet. "Besides, I think I have an idea of who Goldie here is. So his words may have a ring of truth to them. So then Archer, all we have to do is ask for your permission in order to obtain the grail then?"

"Obviously." The Golden King replied as he gazed upon the others with a smirk on his face. "Should you any of you impress me with your prowess in battle and as individuals, I may consider bestowing the grail as gift to one of you. And should any of you submit yourselves to me, then the higher your chances are going to be."

"Hahaha! That would be impossible!" The red-haired Servant laughed. "As the King of Conquerors, I was planning on taking grail whether or not you approved. I really want it for myself you see. And that treasury of yours too since it's filled with wonders such as this wine we're drinking!"

"Hah, you may very well try Rider." Gilgamesh smirked. "I do not mind lending you the grail itself. However, taking my other treasures however shall result in you receiving judgement at my hands. You have been warned."

"Such carefree individuals..."

Arthur commented at the sight of the two Kings. Though he supposed he wasn't one to judge them.

Taking a sip from his goblet, Vlad decided to voice his thoughts. "A strange man you are, Archer. To allow a treasure such as the grail to fall onto anyone's hands because you believe that they may perhaps be worthy of it."

"Pray tell what's your wish Lancer? Is it something that's worthy of the grail?" The former asked, turning his attention from the King of Conquerors to the Lord Impaler.

"To erase the stain on my reputation. Nothing more, nothing less." Vlad replied.

"What? That's it?" The King of Conquerors asked.

"Its importance to me is of the highest order, and in doing so, I shall prevent that horrid piece of literature that has somehow become synonymous with my name from ever being created!"

With every word spoken, Vlad continuously tightened his grip on the goblet in his hand. It even began to dent due to the sheer strength the former had. The two Kings wondered to themselves just what in the world he was referring to that could cause such a reaction in the former.

"Oh, he must be talking about Drac-" Fiore began.

"Shh! He might hear you!" Caules quickly cut his sister off. Mentioning Dracula whenever Lancer was around had already been considered taboo by the others in the Black Faction. Apparently his sister didn't get the memo.

"Other than that Lancer, don't you have anything else you desire?" Arthur asked.

"None, I've lived a full life. Though I have made many mistakes in the past, I will not use the grail for something so childish as to erase them." He replied, his voice filled with resolution. "I will carry those mistakes with me, through both life and death, and onto the next life that God shall assign me to. Before that, I merely wish to restore my reputation to its proper name."

"I see..."

The white knight nodded slowly at this. That was quite different from him.

"Hehe, spoken like a true man." Cu Chulainn commented. "Staying true to your beliefs and principles is the only way to live."

"Live like a hero and die like a hero right?" Achilles added with a smirk, glancing at the blue-haired spearsman. "You remind me a little of myself. We should spar some time."

"Oh! Now that sounds like a real way to pass the time!" With that, both clanked their goblets together and continued to drink. Chiron smiled at this, amused by how his former student was getting along with someone with similar interests to his own.

"Hmph, your words would normally earn a bit of my respect, but your faith in your so called god prevents it so." Gilgamesh remarked with a snide look on his face. "Only fools without the ability to live on their own would put their trust in something so ridiculous."

"Do you wish to challenge me Archer?!" Vlad demanded as he pulled out his spear, indignation at the direct insult to his Lord.

"W-Wait!" Jeanne quickly interrupted. "Please do not fight here! Otherwise, our meeting earlier would have been for nothing!"

Seeing that the young saint had a point, Vlad relented and sat back down, settling for glaring at the Golden King who looked rather amused by his reaction. Elizabeth then offered the former another goblet, to which he took it and continued to drink.

"Come on Goldie, try to be nice at least." Iskander chided his fellow Red Servant. "So then, does anybody else want to share their thoughts?"

"I do."

Turning to the source of the voice, all looked to see Mordred with an unusually calm look on her face. Arthur wondered what she was going to say. Due to their history together, he had an idea of what it was.

How wrong he was.

"My wish for the grail is..." She paused for a moment, looking towards her father before continuing. "My goal is to challenge the Sword in the Stone!"

That statement alone was enough for the white knight to widen his eyes in disbelief.

_'Even now, after all this time, she still wants to become a King...?'_

"Sword in the Stone? Hey King of Knights, isn't that the same one that got you started on your own path towards becoming a King?" The red-haired Servant asked.

"Yes it was."

"Hmm, interesting." The former stated with a hand under his chin. "So in other words Saber, you want to succeed your father?"

"Not just succeed!" The Knight of Treachery exclaimed. "I will surpass my father as King! Anything he could do, I can do just as well and even better! Pulling out the Sword in the Stone would be nothing more than a triviality for me!

Following her words was a moment of silence. Of which quickly went by as laughter erupted from the Golden King.

"Such confidence is amusing to see." Gilgamesh suddenly stated, smiling at Mordred. "However, you forget something Saber. The child could never surpass the parent, they merely carry on their legacy. Something that you failed to do apparently considering that you ended up getting yourself killed by the King of Knights."

"What was that?!" Mordred quickly stood up, enraged by what the red-eyed blonde was saying.

"Hey now, no need to act so violently." The King of Conquerors quickly cut in. "Besides, we have someone that could say otherwise don't you think? Who better to judge the offspring than the parent?"

With that, Iskander turned his gaze back towards Arthur.

"What say you King of Knights?" He asked, smirking. "Do you believe that your child has the ability to surpass you?"

When Mordred saw that her father hadn't immediately replied, she took his silence as his answer. At this, she began grind her teeth as her hands curled into fists. One question ran through her mind as the silence continued.

_'Why won't you say something...?!'_

On the other hand, Arthur himself didn't really know how to respond. With Mordred's presence, he couldn't help but just remain silent. His mind kept warping back towards that single moment, on that burning hill where the two of them had fought each other to death.

Honestly, what should he say? Mordred had turned her blade against him, betraying the oath she had sworn as one of the Knights of the Round Table. At the same time he couldn't blame her for her decision. It was his fault for allowing the hatred in her to fester. Perhaps he could have done something...

He quickly snapped out of it when felt a hand being laid upon his shoulder. The young man saw that it was Jeanne, who then communicated with him telepathically.

_"Just be honest. Say what you want say and everything will be alright, I'll be here to stand by your side."_

Arthur briefly chuckled at this. Really now, he was being comforted and being given advice on what to do by a girl six years his junior. The white knight felt rather pathetic at that moment. But at the same time, he was grateful for her intervention as he began to speak.

"Well, if you're asking for my honest opinion... then, I would say yes."

"Eh?" Mordred mouthed, her mind going blank as she heard her father reveal his answer to the rest.

"Hoh? Care to enlighten us more about your reasoning for that?" The King of Conquerors stated while smiling.

"Her faults aside, Mordred had the heart and skill it would take for me to choose her as a proper successor. Something I still believe she has." Arthur replied once more, gazing at the red knight momentarily before continuing. "I believe that it would merely be a matter of properly preparing her for the role."

A crooked smile then formed on Arthur's face.

"Unfortunately, it never came to pass. I believe that some of you would know why that is." He said, and those who knew enough of the young man's legend had an idea of what he was referring to. "Perhaps had I reacted differently... it would have never led to that. But I suppose there's no point on dwelling on it now."

Mordred was speechless. Nothing came to her mind as her father revealed his thoughts about her. She couldn't find the ability to speak out.

Was it all true? Was it really all true? Did he really mean all that? She couldn't tell, her mind still trying to comprehend and wrap itself around everything that was said.

"Well I suppose I can understand that, it's only natural you'd feel that way." Iskander stated with a thoughtful look, looking back and forth between parent and child and studying their expressions. He noted to himself that it was good for his fellow Red Servant to hear what the King of Knights had to say.

Speaking of which, his fellow Rider-Class also smiled as he too noticed something off from the red knight. As such, being the person that the young paladin was, he spoke.

"Oh~? Saber, you're pretty happy right now aren't you~?"

Astolfo's question quickly snapped the Knight of Treachery out from her daze as face began to go red and her jaw dropping as she gazed at the pink-haired warrior with an incredulous look on her face.

"W-What...?! H-H-How did you come to that conclusion?!"

"Well you are blushing after all~"

"...!"

Half-tempted to swing away at Rider with Clarent, the Mordred opted to merely sit down. Continuing to drink from her goblet. The way she was sitting right now made her look like how a girl her age would look when presented with something that embarrassed them. Kairi could only smirk at her reaction, for it was the first time he had seen her in such a state. It was refreshing to say the least when compared to her usual bravado and temperament.

Arthur himself was just as surprised as well. He expected her say something such as not believing his words or trying to insult him. Did his words really hit a nerve for her to react like that?

Jeanne merely smiled at this, noting that Mordred really was delighted by what she just heard but could not admit to it or perhaps did not realize it herself. She could tell at least that much in regards to the Knight of Treachery. Perhaps there really was a chance of reconciliation between her and Arthur after all.

"Now then, I'd like to hear what you would desire from the grail King of Conquerors" Astolfo suddenly inquired. "I mean, don't you think it would be fair for everyone to hear what you wish from the grail considering that you started this conversation in the first place?"

"He does have a point." Elizabeth added.

"Alright then, before I do that, does anyone else want to share theirs first?" The red-haired Servant asked.

Astolfo quickly voiced out that he desired nothing from the Grail as he was completely satisfied with his life, as did Achilles, Cu Chulainn, and Siegfried, the latter of which revealed that his wish was merely to live without regrets this time around. As such, the former two quickly warmed up to him since his desires were rather basic in nature like theirs as they gave a toast to themselves.

Elizabeth revealed her desire to be an idol, at which Gilgamesh laughed at her for and called her a dreaming little girl. Strangely though, it wasn't out of spite, but mere amusement. Chiron revealed his desire to simply have the gods return the immortality granted to him, for it was something that connected him to his parents. Both the former and the young paladin believed this to be sweet.

Soon it came back to the King of Conquerors himself. Taking another sip from his goblet, an embarrassed look appeared on his face as spoke.

"True Incarnation."

"What?"

Such was the reaction of almost every single person who were in attendance, all except Waver that is. The long-haired man had shook his head as a smile grew on his face. He couldn't blame them, he reacted virtually the same way when Rider revealed it to him all those years ago.

"Rider, surely you jest with such a statement." Gilgamesh began, truly baffled by his ally's wish.

"Indeed, I simply can't believe you of all people would fight for something so small."

Vlad replied, crossing his arms as he looked at the King of Conquerors in doubt. Even Elizabeth's wish had a grand scale to it, as silly as it sounded to him that is.

"Remember who I am." The larger man declared. "I am the King of Conquerors. As the title implies, my ultimate ambition is conquest itself. And the ultimate target? Well that would be this entire world wouldn't it?"

He then gazed at one of his open hands.

"However, if I used the grail to conquer the world for me, there would be no meaning to it. Conquest is something I'll leave to myself. And though this body is indeed powerful, Servants are far more limited in the time they can spend in this world. Thus, the first step would be to become fully human once more. And in doing so, I shall conquer both life and death itself!"

Pouring himself another goblet, he took long sip before continuing.

"

Continue on from there, I shall move onto the grand stage that is our world. Defying the odds and pushing through anything, that's what conquest is all about. Such is the path that I've chosen as a king."

Iskandar finished, grinning as he took in the gazes of the others.

However, among them only the reaction of a certain golden clad Servant had truly caught his attention.

"Hehehe...!"

Hearing the Golden King chuckling to himself, everyone turned to him.

"I've misjudged you Rider. Perhaps you are worthy of bearing the title of King." Gilgamesh stated with a smirk. "Few men have such dedication to their dreams and beliefs. As such, you'll be my first target after we've dealt with the lesser foes."

"Haha! Pointing that out would be redundant by now don't you think?" Iskander laughed at the notion. "We maybe allies now, but we're all destined to fight each other since none of us wish to submit to the other. Such a sad thing considering how all of you are glorious stars on the battlefield in each of your own way."

"You say that as though you already know that you'll win Rider." Vlad commented.

"Do I? Hahaha! It's probably the drink that's getting to me at this point." The large man pointed out. "Seriously Goldie, where did you get this stuff?"

"Who knows? Last I remember is that it was a gift from one of my subjects." The Golden King shrugged before turning his attention to the White Knight. "Now then, onto what I suppose shall be our last topic for tonight."

"That's right! I nearly forgot about that." Iskander began as he looked towards the King of Knights. "Saber, you have yet to say anything in regards to what your wish would be for the grail."

"I have no desire for the grail." Arthur replied.

"Such a quick response, and an obvious lie to boot." The former stated with a smirk. "You can't fool me King of Knights. Despite your oath of neutrality with Ruler, our talk from earlier tells me that you do have something that you wish from the grail. Be honest and tell us what it is, for a true King wouldn't be ashamed to reveal it."

Arthur couldn't deny that. Seeing that there was no point in trying to avoid the subject, he spoke.

"Very well then, I suppose there's no harm in saying my piece."

Jeanne was worried. She had an idea of what her partner was going to say, but kept it to herself for now. Mordred waited with baited breath to hear what he father's wish was, trying to get close as she could without him noticing the act.

Gray as well watched the white knight with keen eyes, giving away that she too was interested in what he had to say.

"What I wish for... is to bring salvation to my people. To create a utopia for all of them..."

* * *

"Such a rare event this is."

Within a room, two individuals observed the banquet with keen interest. Said two were none other than Shirou Kotomine and Assassin of Red.

"Indeed. There has never been a gathering like this in any of the past grail wars before." The former stated. "All of them have such unique wishes that they desire for themselves. Perhaps I was wrong about being able to recruit some of them to our cause."

"Well, there's still the King of Knights." Assassin suggested.

"Yes but I believe he'll also turn me down." Shirou smiled. "He's already done so once before after all."

"Hmm..." The Assyrian Queen mumbled in amusement. "Well then, shall we prepare our forces? With most of them gathered there, we can strike and take them out within a single attack if we're lucky."

"Do it."

* * *

With the revelation of Arthur desired from the grail, the Servants that were gathered found themselves in a silence. After all, the former's statement implied a rather great significant change to the world thanks to his wish.

"I thought so."

Such were the words of Iskander, the first to break said silence as he laid his goblet onto the ground.

"Say King of Knights," He began slowly, an unreadable expression on his face. "Saying you wish is like that, to give your people salvation... surely you don't mean to tell me that you wish to change the past now does it?"

"Perhaps I am." Arthur mused as he picked up his goblet and observed his reflection on it. "There are just somethings that I wish could've gone differently. It's like a curse that's constantly haunting me, one that I cannot erase."

Mordred flinched at this, wondering whether or not her father was referring to her. His words from earlier, and his words just now, were in conflict with each other, and now she didn't know what to feel. Damn it all, why did it have to be so confusing?!

"Is that so?" The red-haired Servant began. "Saber. Just to be clear, I like to ask you about something before we continue any further."

"And what would that be?"

"Do you regret ever becoming a King?"

Honestly taken back by the question, Arthur took a few moments to himself to think before coming to a conclusion. Taking into consideration everything he had experienced, the people he had met such as Merlin, the Knights who had sworn their allegiance to him, Guinevere...

If he had not chosen to take the throne, would he had met any of them? If so, what kind of lives would they have lived if that were the case?

Shaking his head, he smiled somewhat as he revealed his answer.

"No, I don't. When I think about it, I do not regret it." Arthur replied. "If I was given a chance to rise to the throne again, to be King Arthur again, then I would take it."

"Good, good!" The King of Conquerors smiled. "Otherwise, I may have scolded you for it, hahaha! But I'm now curious, why do you wish to change the past if that's the case?"

The white knight chuckled briefly at the large man before sighing. "I suppose I just can't help but desire it. There were those that I failed immensely, and while I know I did what I could, I couldn't bring myself to ignore their cries. I only wish to do right by them. With the Holy Grail, perhaps I could do just that. Surely there's a chance of giving those people the salvation they deserved, to create a world where they can live without worry, if only to grant them a sense of peace."

"I see..." Iskander nodded, a hand under his chin as he stared at his fellow king.

"Only a fool would desire salvation for others." Gilgamesh muttered, a distasteful frown on his face as he laid his eyes upon his fellow King. "King of Knights, you would dare to waste the power of the grail on something so feeble?"

"What you value most are your treasures Archer." The White Knight quickly, yet subtly, glared in response. "What I value most would be my people and those who stood by my side in upholding order and protecting my homeland. There can be no comparison between the two."

"Mongrel, do not presume to know me so to make such an accusation." The Golden King gave off an uncharacteristic growl. Normally, it wouldn't have come off a surprise, but the tone of voice and angered visage on Gilgamesh's face had been different compared to his usual ones.

"Hey now, be nice you two. Besides, I have another question." Iskander interrupted, before the argument between the two could go on any further. "This goes for you too Lancer since you were a ruler as well."

Listening closely, the two other rulers looked at the King of Conquerors curiously as he spoke.

"What are your paths of kingship?" He asked. "Mine is that of conquest, Archer's is following through with the law he sets down. What about you two? I'm curious to hear what either of you have to say."

"Prosperity and defense." Vlad quickly replied. "No matter what, a king must ensure that their country is able to live well and without the threat of invasion from other countries. As such, I allowed myself to become a symbol of fear. Though I regret what eventually became of my reputation..."

While saying that, the goblet in Vlad's hand had been completely crushed, the Golden King voicing out his discontent at the action since it belonged to him.

"...my efforts were able to bring about peace to my homeland for a time." He finished, a smile on his face. Oblivious to the fact that Gilgamesh was glaring at him annoyed.

"My answer would be similar to Lancer's own." Arthur began. "Individuals such as ourselves can only last for so long in this world. Thus, I believe in guiding a country to a future in which it can prosper without the king's presence is most important."

"Indeed."

Vlad nodded in approval. Though he knew that their methods and views differed, he and Saber shared similar sentiments when it came to protecting their country. That much, the Lord Impaler could respect him for.

"Ridiculous..."

The Golden King muttered as he took a sip from his goblet. Normally, he would have said something in response to Saber's statement. But he found it to be too troublesome by this point in trying to say anything.

"Unfortunately, I was unable to do that." The former grew a crooked smile on his face. "Shows what I know, does it not?"

"..."

Mordred fidgeted slightly at that, her father's words hitting rather close to home, unable to find it within herself to say anything. Kairi actually began to worry. Seeing the red knight who was normally loud being so quiet only served to unnerve him more the longer the banquet was being held.

"Hahaha! It's alright Saber, no need to be such a gloom!" Iskander stated, noticing the awkward atmosphere between parent and child and decided to interfere. "Even my own empire dissolved after my death, so you and I are in a similar position when you think about it. And I finally understand what your problem is..."

"My problem?"

"You're simply too tied down by your past." The King of Conquerors declared. "I can clearly see that you're a man of honor and righteousness, two virtues of which that I can easily respect you for as a man and king. Knowing that, I can understand your desire in wanting to grant salvation to the people you _think_ you failed."

He then paused to take a sip from his cup before continuing.

"But, you did the best you could didn't you? And that you do not regret becoming King? If so, then you should take pride in yourself for what you have accomplished and be able to move on. While it maybe hard, nothing ever is in this world. As a man and fellow king, I say this to you. Learn to let go of your wish, and trust me when I say that you'll find life to be much more enjoyable afterwards King of Knights."

Arthur simply blinked at this in surprise, taking a moment to contemplate Iskandar's words.

"He's right Arthur."

Jeanne quickly added herself as the young man looked at her.

"What matters is that you did what you could, isn't that enough?" She asked. "To desire from the grail the salvation of others is most noble in itself. But I believe that Rider has a point in saying that you should try to move on from it. I may not be able to understand what you went through, but I believe that allowing yourself to be burdened by your past is something I cannot allow as your friend."

Slightly taken aback from this, the young man silently began to contemplate the words of his Master and the King of Conquerors.

_'Just learning to move on...?'_

Arthur had heard such words said to him many times in his life, with the main speakers being Merlin and Kay. Those two were always advising the young man on many things, one of which was learning when to let go of the past in order to move on with the present. Something that, according to both, he never learned.

If he had to say something, then that was actually wrong. Arthur knew well enough that he did the best he could. That was all anyone could really do in life. Living life the best way the could, and making sure that their legacy would carry on into the future.

However, whenever it came down to contemplating about his wish and letting things be, he didn't really know what to do. Part of him felt the need to right by those he had failed, but another part knew it was no longer his problem.

The knight that desired to fulfill his duty in order to save his people, and the man who desired to move on... Two forces within him clashing against one another, both of equal value to Arthur. The young man didn't know which side to choose.

His thoughts were interrupted when an overwhelming sensation came over him and the rest of the other Servants in the garden.

"This feeling is...!?"

"There's something above us...!"

Looking up, they that there was nothing but clear night sky above them. However, that soon changed when slowly, a gigantic fortress of earth and steel appeared out of nowhere from the darkness floating not too far from the castle itself.

"What the hell is that thing...!?" Kairi exclaimed. Just how the hell did they miss something that big?!

"The Hanging Gardens of Babylon..." The Golden King muttered as he stepped forward, a smile on his face as he continued. "Hahaha! Magnificent, I never thought to see a completed version of the gardens here out of all places. So that wench and her Master have finally decided to make their move."

"Babylon...?" The King of Conquerors muttered, then that means that the fortress above was the Assyrian Queen's Noble Phantasm wasn't it? Had it been under normal circumstances, he would have admired it for what it was.

While the others were shocked at the sudden presence of the floating fortress, Jeanne herself was distracted by something else.

_'Wait, what is this sensation...? I haven't felt anything like this before...!'_

* * *

"Now then... we finally begin."

Viewing their opponents together at the edge of fortresses' platforms were the rogue Servants and Shirou Kotomine. The latter had a smile on his face as he observed the Red and Black Faction members together with Ruler and her group below.

"Our mission is to keep them busy, correct?"

Karna, the Child of the Sun God Surya.

"That seems simple enough."

Atalanta, the Chaste Huntress.

"Such numbers we face... A daunting task has presented itself before us."

Perseus, Slayer of the Gorgon.

"AAAAAARRRTTTTTHUUURR!"

Lancelot du Lac, Knight of the Lake.

"RAAAAAAAAAAAGH!"

Lu Bu, the Bastard of Three Fathers.

"Ugh... why do we have two Berserkers on the team? And remind me, who are we fighting again?"

Robin Hood, Vigilante Hero of Old.

"Look below if you wish to see. Though perhaps you are too afraid of doing so?"

Semiramis, the Assyrian Queen.

"Hoho~! This appears to be a most extravagant event~! I must write this down!"

William Shakespeare, Writing Extraordinaire.

Having decided that there was no longer any point in hiding themselves anymore, the white-haired priest felt that it was courtesy to introduce themselves to their foes. As such, he looked towards Assassin, whom smiled as she saw her Master's gaze fall upon her.

"Now then... Assassin, if you would." Shirou began.

"Hehe~" The raven-haired beauty giggled as she waved her hand. What she was about to do should quickly explain their motivations to their enemies.

* * *

Soon the several large beams of light converged at a singular point in the sky. Realizing what what about to happen, Jeanne called out to everyone.

"Everyone please get behind me!" She exclaimed before turning to Achilles. "Lancer! Please bring out your shield!"

"Will do!"

With that, the green-haired warrior's shield, Akhilleus Kosmos, appeared in his free hand as he quickly stood beside the young saint who pulled out her banner. Closing her eyes, she held it close to her breast.

The banner had become a symbol to her. It represented her will and desire to fight, as well as her desire to serve God and ease his pain. Those feelings she had eventually became a form of defense in itself, allowing her to stand up to whoever would stand in her way.

Quickly, she opened her eyes once more and raised the banner as high as she could, the white cloth flowing in the wind as the beam of light in the sky fired off a powerful blast aimed directly at the group.

_**"LUMINOSITE ETERNELLE!"** _

* * *

"Aah, I can't wait anymore~!"

Watching the ongoing events with a keen interest, Sajyou Manaka began to giggle to herself as she held onto the crystal ball in her hands more tightly. Behind her were six individuals, all of whom observed the girl as she began speaking.

"Ehehehe~! Just wait for me Saber, we'll be meeting each other again soon~!"

* * *

_**FATE/MAGNUS BELLUM** _

_**ACT I:** _

_**THE ALLIANCE** _

_**END** _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Wow! This is the single longest thing I've ever written on this site at this moment in time. Consider this a special chapter since it's goes well beyond my now standard 10-12K limit for a chapter.
> 
> Anyway, onto the chapter itself. Remember what I said about making Arthur different from Altria? Well I meant it, and hoped that it showed here. The main difference I wanted to convey was that Arthur didn't regret being King (Based on F/P material and the prequel novels) but still regretted a few stuff in order to coincide with the fact that his life basically turned to shit the last few years of his life XP I mean seriously, who doesn't come out of that without a few regrets?
> 
> Also, I wanted to show that Arthur isn't as naive as his counterpart (Again, something I based off from the prequel novels and side material regarding F/P) Which is a reason why he doesn't really speak out against either of his fellow Kings as much. Though he trades a few barbs with Gilgamesh because, let's face it, he's Gilgamesh XP Anyway, I have a love/hate thing going on with the Banquet of Heroes itself. Some say it's okay, so I don't dwell on it as much as I did when I first finished it. That said, given that I'm something of a perfectionist, I'm going to be reworking said scene every now and again to make sure it's as good as possible.
> 
> I made Iskander more understanding of Arthur here because I noticed that what ticked him off most with Altria was the fact that she regretted her rule, wanting to redo it from start to finish, along with her idealistic view on Kingship. Still, if Iskander does come off as OoC, along with several other characters, then I apologize for that. Either way, I'm not really done with this Iskander/Arthur talks. There's going to be a few more.
> 
> Anyway, Act I has finally ended. Act II is where the real shit-storm begins and where PEOPLE WILL BEGIN TO DIE WHEN THEY'RE KILLED. XD Also, until I reach a certain threshold of which I don't know yet, I'm probably going to refrain posting Act-II here until further notice.


	13. Act II-13: Battle for the Grail I

 

"Heh~" Roche muttered. "I'll admit, this is a really interesting to watch."

Within the confines of Roche and Caster's workshop, said Master and Servant duo were able to observe the ongoing event that took place in the castle garden thanks to the latter's abilities. At the moment, the King of Knights, Lancer, the King of Conquerors, and the Golden King were having a discussion with each other.

"Why don't you join them? I can easily handle things from here by myself."

"No, I think I'd feel bad about leaving you here alone." At this, Caster smiled before turning her attention back to the crystal ball floating in front of her.

If the Witch of Betrayal had anything to say about the Banquet that had occurred, it was that she felt somewhat left out. At the same time however, she felt that it would have also been a waste of time on her part since she had things to do.

"Master, about that thing I talked to you about..."

"Oh, wait, I'll get it!"

Turning around to look behind her, the hooded woman gazed at her current subject for the night as her master quickly ran up the stairs to the main room of their workshop.

Sieg, the homunculus that Rider had befriended, laid asleep upon a table with a white sheet over his body.

Two nights ago, she had summoned the Dragon of Colchis in order for Saber of Black to kill and take its heart. As it was merely a phantasmal beast that was summoned by a Servant, it would have eventually disappeared had it not been for her quick action. Being a magus from the Age of Gods taught her a good few tricks.

Thanks to that, the Witch of Betrayal now had a fresh dragon heart within her arsenal. Normally, it would have been useless to her in its current state, but with the presence of the young homunculi owned by Yggdmillennia, she now had options.

Believing that he was the best candidate to choose from due to his magic circuits being of high quality, Darnic had volunteered a homunculus that Rider of Black had befriended and named Sieg. As a homunculus who had only been recently created, his body and soul were still considered pure in essence. Transplanting the dragon heart into him should, in theory, go rather smoothly.

And it did actually. Thanks to Sieg's physiology, the aid of Saber of Black's Master and her own knowledge of magic surgery, the process was a smooth transition. Though Rider of Black had reservations regarding it, he decided to play along since so far there have yet been any signs of danger towards his friend.

 _'Such a softhearted fool that one is. Though I suppose softhearted fools are more likable than moronic fools...'_  She mused to herself.

After walking towards the stairs, Caster flicked her wrist. Quickly, a wall rose up and sealed away the room where the sleeping homunculi rested within.

Joining her Master upstairs, Roche came up to her with a piece of paper in his hands. Taking hold of it, perhaps now she could-

...!

All thoughts quickly disappeared from her mind as she looked up towards the ceiling as she felt the presence of a rather large entity coming their way. And from what she could sense, it was already very close in proximity towards the castle.

_'What is this...?! Why didn't I sense it sooner?! I have to inform-'_

"Wait, what is that...?"

Her thoughts were interrupted when she heard her Master's voice. Looking back towards her crystal ball, Caster's eyes widened in shock as she saw a gigantic flying fortress floating right above the castle.

Before Caster could even react, the castle began to shake rather violently, her crystal ball revealing the cause of which was that the fortress above them launched an enormous and powerful blast of pure mana at it. The Servant of Magic shielded herself and her Master from the stone material that began to fall from the ceiling as a result of the tremors.

When all was said and done, Caster returned her gaze towards her crystal ball.

_'Did they make it...? I have to-'_

Feeling another sensation come over her, Caster instinctively change the image being projected by the crystal ball in order to focus on another location within the castle premises. No sooner than she did it did the crystal ball began showing an image of the room where the Holy Grail was being held in.

"Isn't that Julian...?" Roche began in surprise.

Noting her Master's reaction, Caster saw for herself the boy known as Julian Ainsworth. Together with his Assassins, both were within the room with the latter creating what appeared to be a magic circle around the grail itself with the former instructing them. Just what on earth were they-

"...!?"

***CLANG***

Reacting as fast as she could, the hooded woman brought out her staff and used it to strike down the incoming projectile aimed at her Master's head. Seeing that he was safe, she glared as hard she could at the assailant.

"What's the meaning of this Assassin? You would dare attack my Master?!" She demanded as several Assassin Personas appeared before her with their weapons drawn.

She knew that Assassin had more than one of his personas nearby. It was one reason why she was able to react as fast as she could. But she didn't think that he would have so many of them watching over her. Presence Concealment truly was a troublesome skill.

"We do this under the order of our Master." One of them spoke. "And his order is for us to kill the both of you."

"Hmph, so you would dare betray us?"

The hooded sorceress half-expected this. Their Master alone was able to give off such a cold aura about himself that even she was wary of him. Add to Assassin's abilities, it was only a matter of time before he made a move. It looked like she was right in her assumptions.

"Betrayal is only applicable if the betrayer considered who they're betraying to have been their comrades." A second one stated with a smug tone. "In your case, we never did."

"However Caster, we are also here to make you an offer." A third one began. "Our orders may be to kill the both of you, but our Master has also offered an alternative."

"Oh? And that would be?" Caster asked.

"Kill your Master and join us willingly. Our Master and his allies have noted that as a magus from the Age of Gods, you would prove to be of great asset to their cause. You want it don't you? Considering your history, I believe you'd want to have a chance of another life. Our Masters can give you this as their goal is-"

"The salvation of humanity." The hooded woman finished for them. "Hmph, while honorable to a degree, I find myself laughing at anyone trying to attempt such a thing."

Gazing at Roche for a brief moment, she continued to speak.

"And under no circumstances will I bring harm to my Master. You all have some nerve to even suggest such a thing."

Even if she desired to have another chance at life, she had become rather fond of Roche, enough to ensure that she wouldn't betray him. She chuckled mentally to herself that perhaps she was being a tad softhearted, realizing that she now no longer had any real right to call Rider that herself.

"That's a shame then." The third Assassin replied.

"Perhaps," Caster shrugged. "Now then, begone from here."

"You think we go away simply because-"

***BOOM***

Before one of the Assassins had time to finish what he had to say, Caster raised her staff and quickly sent them flying across the room with a large blast of pure mana. It didn't kill him, but merely enough to silence him as Caster continued to speak.

"Oh my, did I hit someone?" The hooded woman giggled to herself. "Ah well, I suppose I should teach you fools what it means to take on a magus within their workshop. I believe it shall prove to be an entertaining way to pass the time. You lot should have just hid in the shadows, you may even stand a greater chance against me if so."

Levitating as she looked towards Roche, Caster spoke.

"Master, be sure to stay near my side alright?"

"R-Right!" The young redhead replied nervously. Admittedly, he had believed that Caster would have gone through with Assassin's offer. After revealing that she didn't, he couldn't help but feel ashamed at himself a little.

Smiling, she turned and faced the Assassins with a determined look on her face. Snapping her fingers, several golems came to life along with several dragon-tooth warriors sprouting from the ground beneath.

She'd need to inform the others about this, but first she needed to take care of the problem in front of her.

"Don't be foolish Caster, you truly believe you'd be able to take us on?"

"Indeed, your Presence Concealment Skill would make it difficult for me to keep track of where you lot are... but,"

***ZAP***

A bolt of lightning from Caster's fingertips suddenly struck an empty space on the wall, revealing the presence of yet another Assassin, who was now dead on the ground. Such an action only caused the other personas to go on the alert as the Servant of Magic continued speaking.

"However Assassin, I did not simply waste my time here in the Castle simply doing what I was told my Darnic and Lancer." She began. "After all, these alliances we've struck with each other are but fleeting escapades. It would've been only a matter of time before we each turned against ourselves. As such preparations had to be made."

Knowing the implications of such a statement, Medea's smile grew even more as she saw Assassin being visibly shaken by the reveal. She then posed one last question to the Servant of the Shadows.

"Well then gentlemen, is there any one of you willing to dance with this lady?"

* * *

_**"LUMINOSITE ETERNELLE!"** _

Raising her flag high, a brilliant wave of light completely surrounded all those present at the garden, something which was the result of the combined effect of her Noble Phantasm and Lancer of Red's own.

On its own, her flag had the power to protect anything within its range. However, it had its limits, and she knew that she would not be able to withstand such an attack on her own. Knowing this, she called for Lancer of Red's aid.

Perhaps it was a stroke of luck or even the Lord's intervention that had allowed the Greek Hero to have been summoned with the ability to use his shield.

Akhilleus Kosmos, the Miniature World Enclosed by the Azure Sky. A Noble Phantasm that had the ability to protect all within the world. It was one of the mightiest defenses that could be conceived by mankind. However, its range was rather limited. To compensate for this, she decided to use it together with her own Noble Phantasm.

The young saint had no idea if it would work, all she had to go on was faith. And her faith has been rewarded more than once, didn't it?

As soon as they both deployed their Noble Phantasms, the barrier that formed around the group was bombarded by beams of light.

Thanks to the faith of the girl who allowed herself to be a martyr, and the shield of the invincible hero of Greece, the group found themselves being protected.

Explosions rang out as those present to witness the event could only look on in wonder. As dangerous as they were, there was beauty in the scenery caused by the barrier protecting them from the beams of light. The combined might of Jeanne's flag and Achilles' shield doing their work in isolating them completely from harm.

That said, it only protected them. The castle itself began to suffer from the deflected blasts as parts of it crumbled away in destruction.

Soon the assault began to die down, ending a short moment later. With that, the barrier went down as all turned their gazes towards the fortress in the sky.

"Bastards nearly got us..." Kairi muttered under his breath. So this was that Kotomine kid was up to with Assassin? He knew he should have just popped him when he had the chance.

The young saint decided to take a moment to herself. Though the burden was lessened thanks to Lancer of Red's aid, she still expended quite a bit of mana in using her Noble Phantasm. She would need to prevent herself from performing anything too strenuous for the time being. Thankfully, since she and Arthur received their mana directly from the grail itself, it would only be a short moment.

That said, there was a system in place that prevented them from taking too much energy. It was a fail safe designed to ensure that, should a Ruler-Class Servant go rogue themselves, there was still the chance for the participants taking them down.

Back to the matter at hand, its quite obvious who was responsible for the current events. Looking up, she was able to identify the fortress as the Noble Phantasm of Assassin of Red. She could feel the presence of several other Servants with her, but two of them in particular felt disturbing to the young saint.

The first felt familiar, and Jeanne highly suspected it to be Berserker of Red. She always felt that it was rather strange how easily the Servant of Madness was taken down by Lancer of Black, with no disrespect intended towards the latter. Taking into consideration the existence of the Class-Cards, the possibility of facing Berserker of Red didn't actually surprise her as much as it should have.

The second one however was different. It was unlike any sensation she had felt before, for no other Servant she had encountered had gave off the feeling she was having right now. She couldn't explain it, but she was sure that whoever it was, they were going to be threat.

Her thoughts were interrupted as she felt another familiar sensation coming up them from above. Deciding to look up, the blonde-haired maiden widened her eyes in realization.

"That's...!"

Directing their gazes at what the young saint was referring to, they all saw a familiar figure flying out from the fortress and headed straight for the group.

Said figure's vehicle of choice happened to be a black fighter jet, one that they were riding atop on. Wearing armor as dark as the night sky and covered in a strange mist, the newcomer bellowed a loud roar as he laid his eyes upon his targets.

The Knight of the Lake had begun his assault.

"Is that a harrier?! Where the hell did he get something like that?!" The mercenary demanded incredulously.

"No time to wonder about that, here he comes!" Iskander declared as everyone readied themselves.

"RAAAAAAAAAAGH!"

The Black Knight cried out, launching a barrage of missiles, far more than what a standard harrier could hold, aimed at the castle.

"Hmph, worthless pieces of metal."

With but a simple statement, the missiles in the air exploded as they found themselves being impaled by several blades and arrows. Looking to the source, they saw Chiron with his bow at the ready and Archer of Red with ten portals of light floating behind him.

"I was wondering when that mongrel would show his face to me again." The latter smirked as he began walking towards the edge of the garden, observing that Berserker had begun to circle around the castle after seeing his initial attack fail.

"How interesting..."

He had known about fighter jets thanks to the grail providing him with information, but this was the first time he had seen one in person. If the King of Heroes had to say anything the one the Black Knight was using, it would be that it was incredibly fast for something that looked so messy in comparison to the flying machines of his time. Though it didn't stop him from wondering how it would compare to said machines.

With that, Gilgamesh began smirking to himself.

"Very well then, I shall play with you on your terms. This should prove to be a most entertaining duel."

Seeing that the Golden King was full intent on taking on the Black Knight, Reines sighed and said one thing only.

"Archer, be sure to take his head alright?"

"Hah! As if I need a little girl to tell me that!" He laughed.

With that, the Golden King casually took a step forward off the ledge.

As soon as he did, a golden platform with emerald wing like attachments to it suddenly raised itself from where Archer fell.

"The hell is that...!?" Kairi couldn't help but question. The night was filled with strange shit, and he had feeling this wasn't the end of it.

Vimana took to the stage, with the Golden King smiling as he was seated upon the throne in its center. Looking above, he called out to Berserker as the flying ship began to spread out its wings.

"Now! Entertain me Black Knight!"

"RAAAAAAAAAGH!"

Several explosions rang out in the air as both individuals zipped through the air faster than the eye could see, the Golden King firing off volleys of his weaponry against the Black Knight who countered with flares and missiles of his own.

Everyone couldn't believe what was happening right now. Not only was the Black Knight flying a fighter jet, but Archer of Red had something in his arsenal that proved to be capable of matching the former in terms of speed.

"Haha! Goldie sure does have a lot of stuff within that treasury of his. First it was weapons, then furniture, then wine, and now that thing? I'm really tempted to take it from him now~" Iskander declared with a grin as he materialized his Servant attire onto himself.

"Now isn't the time for that!" Waver stated. "We need to...!"

Before he could finish, he found himself silenced as suddenly numerous flying Dragon-Tooth warriors, well within the thousands or even more if he had to count, flew out of the fortress and made their descent towards the castle.

"Rider, Berserker, please go!" Jeanne cried out as she turned to both pink-haired individuals who smiled in response.

"Alright then, we shall take to the skies~!"

"Ah! Don't leave me behind like that!"

Soon as they appeared, Astolfo took to the skies with his hippogriff followed by Elizabeth as she manifested her dragon wings.

"Then I suppose I should follow them as well shouldn't I?" Iskander said.

Taking out his sword, he slashed the empty space in front of him as lightning cackled and brought forth his chariot, Gordius Wheel. No matter how many times passed, seeing it and the divine bulls that pulled it was never a bore for the King of Conquerors.

"Boy, leave the skies to both us and Archer." He began, glancing at Chiron who nodded as he took aim. "With these numbers, I think we can all agree on one thing. These guys are here for the Holy Grail."

"That much is obvious." Vlad responded as he summoned his spear. "Do as you wish King of Conquerors, the rest of us shall defend this castle."

"Please be careful." Jeanne stated as she called everyone's attention. "The Rogue Faction is here in full force. Should you encounter one of their Servants, do not hesitate to use everything in your arsenal to defeat them with. As Miss Tohsaka stated, they'll only truly be defeated by destroying the cards that serve as their Spiritual Cores."

"Will do young saint, and best of luck to you as well! Hyah!"

Lightning cackled once more as Rider's chariot took to the sky, plowing through the dragon-tooth warriors that got in his way while the others that passed him landed upon the ground with their weapons at the ready.

"Time to have a little fun!"

"Hell yeah!"

Charging in, both Achilles, Cu Chulainn grinned wildly as they began taking on the army that stood in front of them, the duo soon being joined by the rest of their fellow Servants as they began to mow down their foes in droves.

"Bastards are just lining themselves up!"

Taking out his shotgun and handgun, Kairi began firing away at the Dragon-Tooth Warriors. Soon he was joined by his fellow Masters in the defense of the castle. Though they were nothing compared to their Servants, they still had their own worth in comparison to the puppets that began their assault.

All except Caules, Reines, and Ayaka, the trio of which stood behind two golems that protected them.

Seeing that he should lend a hand as well, Waver reached into his coat and took out what appeared to be a...

"Is that a maid figurine...?"

Caules couldn't help but ask as he saw what most definitely a small maid figurine, though strangely it looked to be completely metallic in appearance with the exception of the clothes it was wearing.

"You be quiet. Keep your focus on your surroundings." Waver called out.

***SLASH***

Before Caules could say something in response, he heard the sound of bones breaking right behind him.

Looking back, he saw Ruler and the gray-haired girl wearing the black cloak standing there with a large scythe hefted on her shoulder. The remains of several Dragon-Tooth Warriors surrounding her.

"Now is not the time to be distracted." Jeanne spoke.

"Be alert." Gray quietly added.

"R-Right!"

"Gray, you and Shishigou be sure to keep him, Reines, and that girl Ayaka safe."

"Yes." Gray replied with a bow, the action of which resulted in her nearly hitting Caules with her scythe as the young man comically avoided it.

Waver had faith that Reines would be able to perform the task well. Ever since he took her on as an apprentice, the girl had been nothing short of performing well in whatever she was tasked with. And she was no stranger to combat either.

Turning his attention back to the figurine in his hands, Waver gently laid it down upon the ground spoke.

"Fervor, mei sanguis."

With that, the figurine suddenly began to shape shift into larger form. Its appearance was still that of that a young woman, but its hands and hair were turned into blades.

Volumen Hydrargyrum: Marrow of the Moon Spirit. The Mystic Code of the late Kayneth El-Melloi Archibald, Waver's predecessor and former professor at the Clock Tower. Anything related to him brought nothing but bad memories to the long-haired man, which was why he always insisted that people refer to him as "El-Melloi II".

That said, Kayneth was someone of great talent, Volumen Hydrargyrum being a prime example of his legacy. Though when Waver got his hands on it, he decided to modify its appearance and abilities somewhat since he felt that the initial form was rather lacking.

As a result, it went from being a simple blob of mercury that could only follow basic commands into a maid golem that could perform a wider range of tasks. It usually served Reines when it wasn't with him, with the young head of the Archibald family having given it a new name as well. It also ended up developing something of a personality of its own thanks to having watched a certain movie about robots from the future.

As such, it ended up only responding when spoken to in a certain way. What was the command for eliminating the enemy?

"Trimmau,  **terminate**  them."

"Acknowledged."

Charging ahead, Trimmau dived into the chaos as it began destroying every single dragon-tooth warrior in its path.

"You will not take this castle!"

With a flick of her wrist, Fiore's mystic code activated as she was lifted off the ground. Raising two of its legs, balls of light began forming at their tips before erupting into a consecutive number of energy blasts.

"Whoa, the kid already managed to fix that thing. Better watch out." Kairi muttered in wonder as he stared at Caules, Reines, and Ayaka. "Like El-Melloi said, you three get behind Gray and Ruler. Right now, you're all liabilities since none of you can even fight that well."

Thanks to the their last meeting, the mercenary knew that Caules' combat abilities were below average when compared to the rest of his family. Reines being a pampered noble wouldn't have much experience in fighting either, and he could tell at a glance that the Tohsaka girl wasn't going to be any better considering that she was shaking in her boots.

"I'd normally take offense to that. But considering the situation, I'll allow it to pass." Reines stated with a huff, knowing better than to argue as did her two current colleagues.

"...!"

Stabbing his spear into the ground, several hundred stakes rose up from the earth and stabbed all enemies that surrounded Vlad. It was a futile gesture on part of his enemies

No sooner than when he did this did several flying warriors came from above weapons at the ready.

***SLASH***

Siegfried leaped into the air as he took down said enemies with a single swing from his sword.

Landing just as quickly, the Servant of Black found himself surrounded and being attacked on all fronts. Readying himself, Siegfried prepared to strike...

***SLASH* *SLASH***

Not that it mattered as Arthur and Mordred dispatched them together, the two blondes simply opting to give a silent look to one another before turning their gazes towards the invincible dragon-slayer.

"I thank you for your assistance, but it was not needed."

Turning his back, he once again swung his sword and struck down several incoming foes.

"Well, we  _are_  allies after all. Whether or not you'd need it doesn't really matter does it?" Arthur stated in response as he too swung his sword and took down another pair that came upon them.

As far as he knew, the Dragon-Tooth Warriors that they were fighting right now were slightly above in quality towards the ones that the Black Faction pulled out during their first battle against the Red Faction. The major difference being that their current opponents had the ability to fly and were far and beyond the thousands. He had to admit, he was slightly impressed with the numbers they were facing.

"Hmph! Don't apply that logic to me." Mordred commented as she destroyed another and stood back to back with both her father and Siegfried. "I'm just making sure that you realize that I won't allow myself to be outdone by you. Our last encounter still proves to be a bitter memory to me. When the time comes, I'll be taking your head for myself!"

Siegfried glanced at Mordred for a good few moments before smiling in recognition. Not long afterwards, the Saber trio began their assault.

***SHNNK***

Striking down another enemy, Vlad was about to continue with the rest when suddenly several dozen golems and dragon-tooth warriors appeared within the garden. Immediately, he was able to tell that it was Caster of Black's handiwork when he saw them engaging the enemy. He then began speaking aloud.

"Caster, it's about time you decided to join us in-What was that!?"

Suddenly, Vlad began to shout into the sky as the others briefly glanced at him.

"They would dare to turn on us...!?"

"My lord, what has happened?" Darnic inquired.

"Julian and Assassin have turned against us!" He revealed. "Caster is doing her best in protecting Roche against Assassin, but the boy himself is up to something within the room where the greater grail is located at!"

Hearing that, the Masters of Black, most especially Darnic, froze up in shock themselves. One of their own had betrayed them? The latter had been the most surprised of all should one care to look at his face before it turned into one of pure rage.

Julian was betraying him of all people!?

"Assassin...? I thought Archer had killed him off already." Reines muttered in surprise.

"Clearly we were mistaken." Waver commented in response, the same reaction which both Gray and Kairi shared as well.

Quickly realizing the situation, Darnic called out to both the young saint and the King of Knights, blasting away a dragon-tooth warrior that came close.

"Ruler! Part of your duty is to administrate punishment on those would dare go against the established rules of the Grail War is it not?" He inquired before continuing. "Then go and fulfill that duty! You should also take the King of Knights and his child with you just in case. The rest of us can handle things here."

"What?! Who are you to-" Mordred began in outrage.

"Save it for later! Right now, just do what the man says!" Kairi interrupted as the blonde-haired knight frowned in distaste.

Jeanne wanted to say something in response, but found logic within Lancer of Black's words to her. Looking towards Arthur, she saw him nod in agreement as well. For now, they had to make sure that the grail was safe and secure from their enemies reach.

"I understand... May the lord favor you all in this battle!"

Soon afterwards, the three Servants left and headed inside the castle followed by the Masters of Black and Red. Clicking her tongue once more, Mordred relented and followed the group herself as cast one last look at what she believed would have been an entertaining battle.

"Well then, I suppose it's time for me to get serious to compensate for their absence."

Smirking, Vlad once more stabbed his spear into the ground.

***SHNNK***

With that, every single dragon-tooth warrior within the reach found themselves being impaled and destroyed simultaneously. Looking back towards their fellow Lancer-Class Servant, both Achilles and Cu Chulainn had one thing to say.

"Show off."

Vlad merely ignored their comments. In in the end, it didn't really matter did it? He and the others then felt the presence of three powerful beings above them. Looking above, he smirked as he saw the Rogue Servants falling from the sky before landing on the terrain within the garden.

The first was someone recognized by both Gordes and Siegfried. With hair and skin white as snow wearing strange golden armor that had a cape made of up of flames, Karna stood unfazed by the looks being directed at him by his foes.

The other was the Rogue Rider that help saved the Black Knight the other night. Currently, he was wielding a scythe with a long grip that had a red cloth tied around it.

It was the third person that was a familiar face, to both Vlad and the rest, the former merely smirking as he once more came face-to-face with the last opponent he had fought since the Holy Grail War began.

"Berserker of Red."

"RAAAAGH!"

"This must be Julian's handiwork...!" Darnic muttered, remembering that Julian had interfered during the fight between Lancer and Berserker the other night.

"I guess this confirms that kid of yours is working with ours. Tch, teenagers...!" Kairi muttered with a slight smirk.

"It does not matter." Vlad interrupted. "Saber! Lancer!"

Siegfried quickly came to the side of his ally as he stood gazed upon the Rogue Lancer. He had seen a portion of what he could do during the first night, but now it seems he had the chance to see more. Karna held the same thoughts, wondering if Saber of Black would be able to put up a good fight against him. Now was their chance to find out.

On the other hand...

"Yeah?!" Both spearsman currently engaging the enemy ground forces called out, causing a silent yet incredulous reaction from their counterpart.

"He meant ours!" Kairi called out as Cu Chulainn shrugged while Achilles grinned and went towards his current allies.

"That's going to be a little confusing." Ayaka muttered. Maybe she should just call Lancer by his real name? No, no, there was a chance of that backfiring on her in the future even if she was neutral.

Standing together, the three Knight Class Servants stood together as they faced down the rogue trio.

"Now then, let's begin!"

***CLANG***

* * *

"Lancer, Rider, and Berserker have just engaged the enemy."

Atop the floating fortress, both Shirou and Semiramis watched the ensuing chaos unfold, the latter in particular using a crystal ball to more closely observe the ongoing battle that went on beneath them.

"I see." The young man crossed his arms momentarily in thought before replying. "Atalanta, Robin Hood, provide them them covering fire if you would."

* * *

"Easier said than done."

Standing at two different points that gave them each a full view of the castle and the battle taking place within the area were Robin Hood and Atalanta, the former chewing on a small snack as he heard their leader speak through telepathy.

Seriously, a few moments after summoning and he was already being thrown into a battle like this? With the fact that he still had little to no idea just who the hell they were fighting as well the fact that he barely knew his allies as well. Just what did he do to piss off God so much that he found himself in his current predicament?

"Ah well, might as well get to work." He spoke, readying his crossbow. Before doing so, the rogue archer suddenly began smiling to himself as he called out to his ally using the telepathic link established by Assassin.

_"Hey kitty, wanna have a little contest to see who can take down one of those guys first?"_

_"Don't you dare call me by that ridiculous name!"_  Atalanta demanded.

She was irritated by the fact that her ally retained his tendency to be annoying. Really now, just why did she have to get paired with him of all people?

Pulling back the bowstring of her weapon, several arrows manifested in the middle as the Chaste Huntress focused her sights upon the flying creature within the sky being rode upon by a certain pink haired warrior.

With a burst, the arrows flew and made their way towards the young paladin.

* * *

"Hah...!"

Astolfo charged the flying dragon-tooth warriors with his lance. There was an incredible amount of them, and combined with the fact that he had to dodge numerous blasts of magical energy aimed at him, the young paladin found himself in quite a pickle.

Luckily, there was a pause between the attacks, long enough to give him and the others some breathing space and collect their thoughts.

However, it didn't mean they could get close as they found themselves surrounded by numerous flying Dragon-Tooth Warriors. Really, there was just so many of them! Was this what the Red Faction felt when they had to go fight against their forces that night?

That said, he wasn't so much in danger so much as he found it a chore to be fighting so many. When the pinkette momentarily took a chance to observe his comrades, he noticed that they weren't troubled as much either. In fact, Berserker was doing fine on her own as she dodged and flew throughout the sky, most likely due to the fact that she was a smaller target compared to both the young paladin and the King of Conquerors.

"Ahahaha~! You're going to have to do a lot better than that you pigs~!"

Speaking of which, the latter was grinning wildly as he spurred his chariot onward, smashing away any foes in his path, while another who stood behind him, a warrior with a bow and arrow, shot down any opponent he could find.

_'Wait a minute, where did that one come from...?'_

Last he had known, the Red Faction only had Saber, Lancer, Archer, and Rider with them since Berserker of Red was killed by Lancer and both Caster and Assassin of Red had betrayed them along with one of their own. Yet, now there was another person together with the King of Conquerors and said person was clearly Servant as well as far as he could tell. Just how and when did he appear?

Before he could get his answer, an arrow flew directly at the pinkette's face.

"Gah...!"

Narrowly avoiding being struck in the head, the young paladin spurred the hippogriff into diving as he found himself being assaulted by a barrage of arrows.

Looking towards the source, he saw a woman with unusual colored hair aiming a bow at him while standing atop one of the fortresses' towers. He noted that what was most unusual about her was that she had what looked to be animal ears and a tail.

"Heh~! I guess she must be the one Ruler talked about earlier!"

Astolfo flew up and down as he and his mount dodged incoming barrages of arrows. Nearly all the shots aimed at them were near hits, it was astounding that the female archer could aim and shoot at him so accurately, but he supposed he should've expected that of the Archer-Class, most especially the Chaste Huntress of Arcadia herself.

"Come my friend! We shall engage the enemy!"

The young paladin spurred on his mount, the two diving towards their foe.

* * *

"Our dear Huntress has engaged Rider of Black." Semiramis stated.

"I see. Well, I have confidence in her ability to fight him off." Shirou replied. "What about Rider of Red and Berserker of Black?"

"They're trying to breakthrough our defenses, but have no such luck for now." The Assyrian Queen replied. "And as for our friends down below, they're keeping at bay the rest of the Red and Black Faction. Truly, it was fortunate that you were able to gather the catalysts needed to summon such heroes."

"That would only really apply to Lancer." The young priest shook his head. It looks like spending years of his life searching the globe for catalysts wasn't wasted after all. With the forces he had gathered, he was sure that even with Archer of Red's presence, the Red and Black Faction would find it difficult to oppose them.

Speaking of which, there was the matter of the remaining Class-Cards.

With the resources they had left, their group still had the ability to summon at least one more Servant using one of the cards. That said, the only catalysts that were left was a broken European broadsword and a Chinese spear whose blade had been quite rusted up. Thanks to not knowing who would be connected to such items, having acquired them through less than reliable sources, Shirou wasn't confident in their ability to summon a powerful Servant.

The young priest then shook his head, deciding that it wasn't time to think of such matters as he had to focus on the battle at hand.

"At any rate, what about Ruler and Saber? Do you have an idea of their locations?"

"No. As far as I can tell, they're not taking part in the conflict outside." The raven-haired beauty replied before pausing. "Oh, wait. Assassin just reported in. It seems like she, Saber, and Saber of Red are making their way towards the greater grail's chamber."

"I see." Given the current situation, it should've been obvious what Ruler was going to do from the moment the battle began.

With that, Shirou turned to leave as the raven-haired beauty began to smile at his retreating form.

"Oh? Finally taking to the battlefield yourself Master?" She said.

Smirking, the white-haired young man merely turned his head as he replied.

"Of course. It's about time I took matters into my own hands after all. I leave operations of this battle to you then Assassin."

"Yes, yes, you may count on me."

Standing in the center of the room, Shirou signaled his Servant as the Assyrian Queen flicked her wrist.

A magic circle glowed where the young man stood, shining brightly as light briefly enveloped the entire room.

As soon as it died down, Shirou was gone.

* * *

"Hey Ruler!"

Running through the hallways of the castle making their way towards the castle, the Knight of Treachery called out to the young Saint of Orleans.

"What is it?"

"Can't you just use a Command Spell to just order Assassin to commit suicide?" Mordred asked. "The same goes for that hag that owns that fortress!"

Indeed, with Jeanne's special privilege as Ruler, she would've been able to do such a thing. It would've simplified the situation of she would simply order Assassin of Red and Assassin of Black to take their own life, greatly reducing the fighting strength of the Rogue Faction.

However, there was one problem with such an idea...

"Think about it for a moment." Arthur spoke up as the red knight looked towards him. "While my Master does indeed have Command Spells, so does the enemy Masters. Until we're certain that they can't counteract any order with a Command Spell of their own, we can't afford to waste any so carelessly."

Mordred frowned as her father finished saying his piece. She'd hate to admit it, but he was right.

***BOOM***

Stopping in their tracks, the trio looked to see the floor in front of them break apart as a blast of mana erupted from beneath it.

As soon as the dust began to clear, several figures appeared from within the newly formed hole, one of which was a hooded woman carrying a child in one arm while holding a staff with the other. As she landed on the floor, several figures in black wearing skull masks appeared as well.

"Caster of Black!" Jeanne quickly identified the former and the boy in her hands as her Master.

"Ah, so you're Ruler?" The Servant of Magic spoke with a tone of curiosity. "My apologies, but I'm quite busy at the moment. Perhaps you could lend me your aid?"

"Hmph! As if their presence would aid you now Caster." One of the Assassins arrogantly called out.

With that said, the numerous Assassins disappeared into darkness as the group quickly went on alert. All except Jeanne that is, the blonde-haired maiden having a calm expression on her face as she spoke to the others.

"Dammit, they all have Presence Concealment?" Mordred muttered to herself in grimace. With such a skill and proper use of it, one Assassin was hard enough to deal with. But one that could manifest as multiple individuals? What kind of joke is that?

"Everyone, please listen to my commands for now."

Her thoughts were interrupted when Jeanne called out to the group.

"What?! Why should I even-?!" Mordred began.

"Just listen and you'll find out!" Arthur reprimanded as the former glared at him.

"You'd really follow her orders just like that? Where has your pride gone father!"

She found it mildly insulting that her father would so easily obey the orders of a girl who was clearly even far less skilled than Mordred was as a warrior. Her father, the proud of King of Knights, now reduced to this? What nonsense!

Before she could say anything else, Jeanne shouted.

"Arthur, Mordred, behind you!"

***SLASH***

"Gargh...!"

Within the span of a moment, two of the Assassins went down as the two knights struck them down.

"To your left Mordred!

***SLASH***

The Knight of Treachery simply began smirking as she successfully severed the head of one of their opponents.

"Arthur, above!"

***STAB***

Doing as he was told, Arthur saw Assassin of Black materialize as he raised Excalibur, impaling the Servant of the Shadows and killing him instantly.

"Tch! So it was true that Ruler could sense our presence!" One of them cursed as they materialized. There was no point in remaining in spirit form if Ruler could just sense their presence anyway. So much for their Presence Concealment skill.

"..."

Mordred momentarily glanced at Ruler. She hadn't known about that, so that's why her father decided to listen to Ruler.

Still, it didn't sit right for her to see her father subservient to another even if it was the mediator of the Holy Grail War. Then again, perhaps she wasn't one to judge considering that she didn't really mind following her own Master all that much.

"Will you yield Assassin?"

Stepping forward, Jeanne drew her sword and pointed it towards the Servant of the Shadows.

"Hah! You must joking." One of them spoke out with a deep voice. "You underestimate us Ruler. You think we'd be deterred so easily?"

"No, but with our combined strength, even you with all your personas cannot win against us Hassan-I-Sabbah, or perhaps I would better off saying the name of the nineteenth person to uphold the name of the legendary assassin...?"

"Enough!" Another called out, anger tinting his voice. "We are all Hassan! Nothing more, nothing less! You'd do well to remember that girl!"

"Well then I ask you again Hassan-I-Sabbah. Will you yield?" The young saint calmly replied.

"Why are you even bothering to ask? Let's just kill them and be done with their troublesome presence." Mordred spoke up as stepped forward with Clarent at the ready. Such an action only caused some of the Hassans to flinch.

"Violence isn't always the solution." Jeanne replied. If she could, she wanted to ask Assassin of Black about the Rogue Faction.

"Perhaps, but I'm inclined to agree with Mordred." Arthur added as he raised Excalibur as well. "I speak from personal experience when I say this. You can never be too careful against those who like to strike from the shadows."

Jeanne didn't know if Arthur was actually referring to the Assassin-Class Servant of Holy Grail War he had last fought in, or if it was during his own lifetime as King. Perhaps he was referring to both at the same time.

"As if we'd ever choose to sur-"

Before one of the Hassans could finish speaking, his head suddenly exploding within a brief flash of light.

"Ah, so you choose to fight then? Very well, but I'm afraid we're short on time." Caster of Black began, her staff raised. "Ruler, Julian Ainsworth is just further below. Go on ahead and take that hole there as a shortcut. I can keep these miserable traitors at bay by myself."

"Calling as miserable traitors? Hah! Such words from the Witch of Betrayal herself!"

One of the Hassans laughed, causing Medea to smile as several magic circles and formulas appeared floating beside her. To top it off, several dragon-tooth warriors stood in front of the Servant of Magic.

"Oh? To hear that dreadful sounding title spoken in my presence... You truly wish to die don't you Assassin?"

Before any response could heard or even said, Medea went on with her assault.

As much as Jeanne wanted to aid her, there were more pressing matters. Silently wishing Caster good luck, she motioned for Arthur and Mordred to follow her as they leaped into the hole where Caster had emerged together.

* * *

***BOOM***

"Hahahaha! Now this truly is most entertaining battle Black Knight!"

The skies was filled with numerous explosions as both Archer of Red and Berserker fought with one another. To say that it looked like something straight out of an aerial battle between fighter jets wouldn't have been an exaggeration, especially since one of them actually flying a fighter jet.

"RAAAAAAAAAAGH!"

The Black Knight roared as fired off another salvo of missiles from behind the Golden King.

Smirking at this, Gilgamesh made the Vimana take a dive as the barrage followed him. He kept the act up until he reached ground level at the side of a mountain. At which, the Golden King quickly pulled up before he crashed whereas the missiles where unable to and exploded upon contact.

Quickly scanning the area, he found his foe maintaining distance.

"What's with this cowardly tactic? Come face me!"

Darting towards his location, Vimana quickly closed the distance between the two just as Berserker turned about to face them.

Ten portals opened up alongside the flying throne. With a flick of his wrist, ten weapons shot out and heading directly towards the Black Knight.

***TATATATATATATATATATATATA***

Machine guns began blasting away whatever they could hit. Seeing it in action, Gilgamesh merely smirked once more as several shields came out of the portals and floated right in front of Vimana, shielding him from the attack. The two fighters passed each other by as the red-eyed blonde spoke.

"You'll have to do better than that Black Knight, it would be rather disappointing if hit and run tactics are all that you could manage in this situation."

As if having heard Archer's statement, Berserker quickly used the thrusters to stop in place and turn about much faster before giving chase. Now that he was much closer towards the Golden King, Berserker unleashed another salvo of machine gun blasts at the latter's flying throne as it began to fly erratically in order to dodge.

"Hahahaha! Not bad!"

Truth be told, he could've easily protected himself once more using any of his treasures. But, where was the fun in that? His current battle was by far the most entertainment he had experience since his summoning. It definitely made up from his inability to participate in the last assault thanks to Lancer defeating him in that wretched game.

And if he had to think about it, this was a rare occasion where he had to use Vimana in such a way. Thus, he had to savor the moment didn't he?

***BOOM***

Gilgamesh then began his counter-assault as he aimed his treasury behind him, firing off weapons that either missed or were shot down by the Black Knight through the use of his craft's machine guns.

"Yes, yes! Show me more Black Knight!"

* * *

Within the castle gardens...

"Hahaha!"

Charging straight at Karna, Achilles came in swinging like a madman with a smirk on his face.

***CLANG* *CLANG* *CLANG***

Each attack was met blow per blow. This was the first time he had actually encountered someone who was capable of matching in such a way. Not only was the white-haired servant capable of keeping up with in both speed and strength, but he was also able to bypass his invincibility. As such, Achilles couldn't help but give off an ecstatic smile.

"Come on, come on, come on!"

As the two invincible heroes traded blows with one another, the force of their attacks were so strong that began to destroy their surroundings just with the air pressure alone. For the Masters who witnessed the event, they could barely keep up with what was happening. So fast were their movements that it felt like they weren't actually moving at all.

***CLANG* *CLANG***

Karna smiled as he continued to trade blows with his fellow Lancer Servant. If he could, he would've quite enjoyed the prospect of facing the Hero of Troy in true one-on-one battle with nothing else to bother them both. However, he didn't have that luxury. His current task was to hold off their enemies while Julian and his Assassins retrieved the grail. As such, he believed it most appropriate to unleash his true weapon.

Their weapons clashed once more, the green-haired spearsman smirking as he glared directly into his foe's eyes.

"Whoa!"

A burst of flames quickly made Achilles jump back as the golden spear that his opponent wielded was enveloped in them. The flames quickly grew in shape, and soon enough dispersed, revealing an entirely different weapon in its place.

Whatever the hell it was, the Hero of Troy couldn't help but feel a sense of dread and excitement at seeing the overly large spear. Perhaps now he should bring out his shield too?

"Haha! Looks like I really can't afford to hold back on you!"

"Agreed, shall we continue?"

Atop the castle buildings...

Another pair of heroes fought it out. Whoever Rider was, he was indeed someone of renown if he could keep pace with the likes of the dragon-slayer Siegfried. The sickle like spear in his hands was being put to good use, and he was moving incredibly fast as well. Almost as though he was even touching the ground.

"...!"

Siegfried felt something off and quickly avoided an incoming strike at his head. Said attack managed to leave a cut on his cheek however...

Placing a two fingers upon the wound, the Servant of the Sword quickly deduced that the weapon his opponent wielded had the ability to nullify magical defenses. And seeing as how the Armor of Fafnir could be considered as such, it meant that he was as defenseless as anyone else should he allow Rider to even strike him.

However, such a thought brought a smile to Siegfried's face. Even though his opponent could wound him, if he dodged, then there wouldn't have been any problems right?

***CLANG***

The dragon-slayer swung Balmung in an overhead strike, his opponent parrying the attack as the former flinched. The latter quickly appeared behind him, but Siegfried reacted fast enough that his sword sheath sufficed enough to block another strike from the masked Servant.

In the front courtyard...

_**"KAZIKLI BEY!"** _

Hundreds of spears and stakes rose from the ground only to be cut down by Berserker, the latter of which quickly closed the distance between them forcing Vlad to actually counter him with close-combat.

Unlike last time, the mad Servant was fighting differently. Vlad could tell that his attacks now had more precision to them. As such, Berserker was even deadlier than before. Did the Rogue Faction do something to make this possible?

"RAAAAGH!"

Berserker's halberd quickly transformed into a bow, and with it, a surge of power began to gather as the Lord Impaler realized what was about to happen.

"Tch!"

Vlad leaped a fair distance away from Berserker before stabbing his spear into the earth.

There, thousands of spears and stakes rose from the ground and quickly formed a shield around the Servant of the Spear.

***BOOM***

* * *

"Tch, so they've managed to reach us?"

Turning around, Julian frowned as he saw Jeanne, Arthur, and Mordred.

On cue, several Assassins manifested beside their Master who stood in front of the Greater Grail. The former trio raised their weapons, ready for combat should the situation escalate to that point.

"So you're the Master of Assassin?" Mordred commented as she looked over the young man. She had seen him earlier before when they first arrived at the castle. Even back then, she felt a rather nasty vibe coming from someone who looked rather ordinary. Perhaps it was the perpetual glare that he had that caused such a feeling.

Said look also made her feel half-tempted to just strike him down on the spot. But with Ruler here, she knew that she would have to wait as the latter wanted to speak first before taking any action, something that her father supported much to her chagrin.

"Master of Assassin, I ask that you stop what you're doing now!"

"And what exactly am I doing wrong?" Julian asked. "As far as I'm concerned, I am well within my rights to do as I please. After all, war has no rules."

"Even so, there's still a proper code of conduct one must conform themselves to in order to prevent even worse crimes from being committed." The young saint replied. "And by working together with the Rogue Servants, you have deemed yourself an enemy to the order of the Holy Grail War."

"Order of the Holy Grail War? Don't make me laugh." The young man scoffed as focused his attention back towards the grail and extended a hand towards it. "As much as I would like to discuss philosophy with a saint, I have more pressing issues to attend to."

"Bastard, don't treat us like we're nothing dammit!"

Clarent began glow with red lightning. Screw what Ruler was trying to do. As far as Mordred was concerned, the Assassin's Master was an enemy, and he dared to insult the group, specifically her, by turning his back on them. As such, he needed to die.

"Ah, wait!"

***THUMP***

Jeanne stopped in her tracks as she felt a strange sensation come over her. It felt familiar, and she was able to recognize it as such because she remembered first feeling it that night. As soon as she realized this, magical energy suddenly began to gather at the corner of the room, halting what Mordred was about to do due to wondering what was happening.

Julian saw said event and clicked his tongue.

"Hmph, so he decides to join now of all times?"

Within a brief second, light enveloped the room. As soon as it began to die down, a person now at the center of where the event had begun.

Said person was a tan-skinned young man with white hair. He wore black priest clothes together with a red cape, a cross hanging from his neck. A smirk was visible on his face as he gazed at Jeanne, the young saint herself widening her eyes in shock as she was able to identify him on the spot.

"I believe this is the first time we've actually met, hasn't it Ruler?" He said as Jeanne was still caught up in her thoughts.

Was this the true reason as to why she was summoned by the grail? If so, then perhaps this was the reason why she had been plagued with irregularities such as the need for a physical body. But right now, that wasn't what was really catching her attention at the moment, for it was something else as she gazed at Arthur and confirmed her thoughts.

"You're...!"

The white knight couldn't help but react in shock as well. Why wouldn't he? For at the moment, he was being confronted by the existence of someone who shouldn't be there.

"Oh, so you remember me?" Shirou spoke as the smiling look on his face was replaced with one of honest surprise. "I suppose that saves me the trouble of introducing myself to you again after all these years. Quite convenient wouldn't you agree, King of Knights?"

"But how is this even possible?! How could you have survived after all this time?!" Arthur demanded. If he was still alive, then where did that leave that abomination?!

"Call it a blessing I suppose. Perhaps God himself is on my side and wishes for me to succeed?"

"Wait a minute, what the hell is going on!?" Mordred spoke up. Now she was honestly confused. Just was the newcomer? And why did her father react with such shock? That said, the priest managed to set off a few alarms within her. There was something about him that seemed off for some reason, but she couldn't tell why.

Before she could get any further answers, Jeanne stepped forward with her sword drawn and aimed directly at the white-haired priest.

"Now I see, so you really are the Ruler-Class Servant from the last original grail war over sixty years ago."

Blinking several times, it took a good few moments before Ruler's statement about her father taking part in a past grail war had registered itself within Mordred's mind. The red knight then proceeded to stare back and forth between the men, realizing that it was true thanks to their expressions.

"Ah, I see Saber has told you about that has he?"

"Amakusa Shirou Tokisada..."

Jeanne quietly spoke out the name of the hero who led the failed Shimabara Rebellion. A teen genius who was revered by Japanese Catholics as a Saint, though the Church itself has yet to recognize the young hero as such.

"That is not a name I heard spoken in such a long time." Shirou stated in response. "It brings up both nostalgic and painful memories if I do say so myself."

"Now it all makes sense, no wonder what Ayaka said that time felt so familiar." Arthur muttered to himself. However, Shirou heard his and smiled at him.

"I see, so that girl really did tell you everything she knew." He said with a hand under his chin. "Let me guess, she thinks I'm going to use the grail to brainwash humanity, doesn't she? Don't misunderstand, I believe Ayaka was mistaken in her belief of what I seek from the grail."

The white knight merely narrowed his eyes as he began to glare at the white-haired hero. From just a brief exchange of words, and he could already tell that the man standing in front of him hadn't at all changed all that much after all these years.

If so, then Arthur already knew what to expect.

 _'Be careful around him Jeanne, he's not one to be taken lightly.'_  He warned the young saint, who merely nodded her head slightly at this. Deciding in wanting to know more, she began to speak.

"Then enlighten us. Just what exactly do desire from the grail?"

Shirou merely smirked at Jeanne's question. Taking a moment, he then replied.

"My desire is simple really. It's nothing more than the elimination of Angra Mainyu, the source of all evils in this world."

* * *

Just outside of the front courtyard, beyond the gate where the Black Faction stood there ground and defended the castle from the Red Faction a few nights before, stood a young girl with blonde hair. Walking towards it, she began to smile. Speaking her thoughts aloud to herself.

"Ehehehe~! Now then, I wonder where Saber is~?"

Wondering where her darling prince could be, Sajyou Manaka decided to explore for now.

Atop a cliff overlooking the castle, a strange looking creature that resembled a cross between a dog and rabbit came upon the battle. Its fur was white as snow, somewhat curly int its appearance, and tied around its neck was a red ribbon and a small blue capelet. It sat there quietly, having decided to observe the young girl as she made her way into the complex.

The night had just begun...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And so ends CH13. Hi Guys, it's been a while since I posted here. To be honest I nearly forgot I had an account here on AO3 and only recently have I been reediting the chapters here to coincide the edits I've made to the original posts on FFN. Since I already have 14 chapters worth of material, I'll be posting them here within a week of each other I suppose until the end of Act II.
> 
> Anyway, onto the chapter itself.
> 
> It's at least 6000 words shorter than the last one, but CH12 was basically two chapters for the price of one. I know that parts of this chapter will come off as rushed such as the fights between the factions, but I'm not one for overly long fight scenes between individuals, mostly because I'm not good enough to write long scenes and because I want to save said scenes for the later parts. If this chapter does come off as a jumbled mess, don't worry, I'll fix/improve on it as I always do in case some of you didn't notice that some of the previous chapters are being updated from time to time in their dialogue and text, which should result in a better flow for the story.
> 
> In regards to Medea in FMB. I've noticed that the former is actually not all that bad taking into account every entry about he throughout the franchise. Her actions in FSN being the result of her as a desperate person who really wanted her wish to come true. In FMB, she was summoned by a child who treats her far better than her dickhead master in FSN, and she has allies to make things easier for her. As a result, this version that I wrote is more friendly and cordial. It was the only conclusion I could come to.
> 
> For those who asked me questions last time, here's my answers to some. I said before I wouldn't be answering any more guest users, but you know what? I'm too much of nice guy to just up and ignore people, mostly when they pose questions that are actually worth answering.


	14. Act II-14: Battle for the Grail II

"Hah...!"

Heaving her scythe over her shoulders, Gray swung it horizontally as she destroyed several dragon tooth warriors.

As Lancer, Lancer of Black, and Saber of Black engaged the Rogue Faction Servants, the only form of support they had at the moment were Archer of Black and the Lancer-Class Servant that the girl known as Tohsaka Ayaka commanded.

Darting forward, she used reinforcement on her legs, increasing her speed and agility as she cut down every foe who stood before her. Having been trained at a young age to learn how to fight by family members and instructors, her current opponents were nothing more than weed that needed trimming.

Speaking of family...

Her ancestor, King Arthur... she had once more missed an opportunity to speak with him. Well, it wasn't as though it was her fault. There was just too much going on for her to even have a moment with him. Perhaps, after the battle was over...

There were things she wanted to discuss with him, which was mostly small talk in her eyes. Little questions such as what was life like when he was alive. She could find out about it from reading books or the like, but hearing it from someone would be a different experience. And she grew hearing stories of her ancestor when she was growing up. As such, the inner child in her that adored said stories wanted to know more him.

Not to mention that there the matter of  _that item_  to give him. It was a task that was handed down from generation to generation in her family ever since her ancestor's fall. Should any one of them ever encounter him, as far-fetched as it was, they were to give it to him as per the request of  _that person_.

She wondered to herself, how would he react to it? He and that person didn't exactly part on the best of terms when they last saw each other. He may even reject it.

***THWACK***

An arrow quickly shot past her head, snapping Gray out of her thoughts as she looked behind her to see a the broken remains of yet another warrior. Looking to the source, she saw Archer of Black smiling at her before returning to supporting the others with his abilities.

"What's wrong Gray? You look distracted." Waver came up to the white-haired girl.

"Ah, it was nothing Master, just a few thoughts."

"Save those for later, we can't afford distractions right now." He sighed, looking at the battlefield that was the garden. Thanks to their enemy's numbers, their group had to split up between sections of the complex. Right now, it was only himself, Kairi, Gray, Reines, Ayaka, Caules, and Fiore. Gordes and Celenike had taken a few golems and homunculi to try and defend other parts of the castle. Darnic himself went on to support Lancer of Black.

Lancer of Red and the Rogue Lancer had taken their fight elsewhere from the garden, as did Saber of Black and the Rogue Rider. Right now, it was just them and the dragon-tooth warriors that were still present.

With the aid of her mystic code, Fiore was taking down enemies left and right, either by choosing to smack, stab, or blasting them away. Kairi noted that out of the Masters gathered right now, she was the most dangerous. If not for her inexperience that is.

"Can't let myself be outdone by a kid!"

He continued his assault as he kept shooting at every single enemy he could see. With the numbers they were facing, it was a viable tactic. Reloading his shotgun and handgun wasn't too much of a hassle. He brought enough spares, and the enemy bones could be used for ammo as well.

***BANG***

The mercenary smirked as he continuously blasted away each warrior with his shotgun. One shot was enough to take one down. He then reloaded and aimed at another.

"...!"

Several black feathers came out from behind the mercenary and took down several warriors. Much to his surprise, he looked to see that the Tohsaka girl was the source of it.

"I can at least do this much, right...?" She said, readying another assault in her fingers. This wasn't the time to be scared. With her current allies, she should at least be able to do something for them, even if it was just a small act.

Caules gazed at the girl in surprise. Just now, she had been acting rather scared of everything that had been happening so far. Even now, one could see that her legs were shaking in fear, but the girl was willing to take action. He couldn't help but feel his masculine pride being broken down by the thought of a girl being braver than he was.

"That's the spirit!"

Lancer cried out as he landed beside his Master and smashed away incoming warriors from above. Grinning at the blonde-haired youth, he spoke.

"You should keep acting like little missy, it'll do you some real good like build your character."

"I knew you'd say that..."

**"You are terminated."**

An explosion rang out all of a sudden as Waver looked towards the source.

There, Trimmau emerged from it unscathed. He had to ask himself just where in the nine levels of hell did such an explosion come from? He was pretty sure that Trimmau lacked any sort of ranged capabilities that could result in such a thing. Probably best not to dwell on it.

_'Things are going well. How are the others doing?'_

* * *

 

"The elimination of Angra Mainyu...?"

Jeanne wasn't exactly educated in many of the world's many myths, but thanks to the information from the grail, she had a brief understanding of many topics known to man for the past few millenia.

Angra Mainyu, the Persian god of darkness, considered as the source of all evils in this world according to the religion of Zoroastrianism. Basically, if she had to compare it to Christianity, it was their equivalent of the devil Satan.

Personally, she didn't really believe in such folly. Even if there was one being who was the source of all evils in the world, it was up to people themselves as to whether or not they'd allow themselves to fall to the temptations of sin or rise above it.

If Shirou's wish was for the elimination of it, just what in the world did that entail?

"If that's really the case, if you truly wish for something benevolent, then why is that you felt the need to confirm my death?"

"Because I could not take chances with you around." Shirou replied, still smiling. "After all, in order to obtain something of great value, one must sacrifice something equal in return. Isn't that one of the fundamental rules that magi live by?"

"Unfortunately, I'm no magus so I wouldn't know of it." Jeanne replied, somewhat deadpan. "And when you say sacrifice something equal, what do you mean by that?"

"It is what I said." The young man stated. "People and the world... although they constantly experience change through time, they are instinctively afraid of it as well. They wonder to themselves if change can bring good to the world or ruin it. As such, they try to control it. Arrogance, only god decide such things. When humans try to control change, it will always inevitably leads to ruin."

"And what does that make you?"

Arthur already knew what the white-haired priest was going to say, but decided to ask anyway. While doing this, he eyed his surroundings, keeping tabs on Assassin and the boy that served as their Master. While his comrade was speaking, Julian was doing something to the grail.

"A messenger, here to ensure that his work be done. With the power of the grail, I can use it fully deliver the salvation that many people throughout time have desired but never received. A world without suffering, where no man, woman, nor child will have to suffer again. Wouldn't that be glorious?"

The young saint had to admit, such an idea was wonderful to imagine. While there was doubt in her mind, she felt that Shirou was speaking to them in complete honesty, both the way he spoke and the look in his eyes proved it. There was no hint of hesitation, no hint of deceit. His goal truly was to save humanity, that much she could agree on if someone asked her opinion on the man. No wonder Ayaka had said so herself as well.

She also noted that said goal reminded her a bit about a certain someone, gazing at said person for a moment. Though the scale was different, at the core there were similarities in their respective wishes.

On the other hand, Arthur shook his head as began glaring at the young man. He could care less about what his goals were, he had heard it all before. Right now, there was only one thing at the forefront of his mind. And with that, he stepped forward and raised Excalibur, pointing it the white-haired priest.

"You didn't answer my Master's question. I'll say it once: why did you order for her assassination?"

There was righteous fury in Arthur's eyes, it was something Mordred hadn't seen in a good while, even during their battle together at Camlann. It was enough to tell her that her father was truly angry at the boy who had been speaking with them up until now.

"Like I said earlier, people fear change. " Shirou began. "My plan requires taking a heavy risk, but should I succeed, then the method would be more than acceptable. Imagined that the grail knew of what I intended, and summoned Ruler to intervene. As such, she needed to be taken care of."

"I see." Arthur nodded in response. "Now with that out of the way..."

***SLASH***

Shirou quickly leaped out of the way as Arthur closed the distance between the two of them and swung his sword. Such an act caused everyone else to ready themselves.

"Oh my, it seems that you're much quicker to anger since our last encounter King of Knights." The former said as he smiled at said person.

"When my Master's life is threatened, I'll immediately take action." The blonde stated.

"Really? Because I recall your last Master begged to differ."

Arthur froze up at this, catching the other two's attention, before snapping out of it as his glare hardened.

"Wait, what does he mean by that?" Jeanne asked, noticing the disturbed look on her friend's face.

"It's nothing... I'll explain everything later." Arthur replied, with the young saint noticing the somewhat strained tone the white knight was speaking in.

"Now I wouldn't really call it nothing." Shirou stated as he began smirking. "After all, you did betray that girl and kill her yourself."

Wait... what?!

At that moment, Jeanne stared at Arthur in shock. Was it really true? She saw the look on his face, an expression that was between anger and regret, and that was all that was needed for the young saint to confirm that what Shirou had just said was indeed the truth.

Arthur had betrayed his previous Master? Then that meant he lied to her back then?

Mordred could herself hardly believe it either. Perhaps she wasn't one to speak, but just what in the world could have driven her father to perform such an act?

"Indeed, it's true that I betrayed my previous Master..." He confirmed, closing his eyes. "...and in doing so, I have shamed myself as a Knight. But,"

Arthur's eyes snapped open once more, this time filled with a steely gaze within them.

"If it mean protecting this world from the abomination that slept within the Holy Grail, then I'll gladly do it again! Once this body of mine expires, let whatever gods and higher beings judge my soul afterwards."

"Wait, abomination...?"

Jeanne muttered the phrase to herself. Just what in the world was Arthur talking about now?

"Hahaha... I suppose we should leave it at this for now." Shirou stated as he turned to Julian. "Are we ready?"

"I was waiting for you to stop your incessant babbling." The black-haired youth replied in disdainful tone. "You shouldn't waste time on fools who are unable to comprehend what we're trying to do here. It's an exercise in futility."

"Perhaps, but it doesn't hurt to try now does it?" The white-haired priest stated in response. "And you didn't exactly answer my question."

"I'm not finished yet, that bastard Darnic has placed quite a number of security measures here. I'm only half-way through at the moment, and they're getting harder and harder with each seal I break. We won't be going anywhere until then."

"I see. Very well, I'll handle these three together with Assassin."

"Tch, you think you can take us on?!"

Mordred leaped into the fray, Clarent at the ready.

***CLANG***

Her attack was quickly intercepted by two of Assassin's personas, one of whom was a bald male and the other a female with long dark violet hair verging on blue. Both wielded weapons much different from the other personas they had encountered thus far, said weapons looking somewhat more intricate and sturdy than the dirks common to the Assassin-Class.

"...!"

A third came swinging a weapon at Mordred's head, forcing the red knight to leap back to her father's side. As soon as she did, the group noticed that the other Assassins in the room suddenly began manifesting the same type of weapons as their two brethren currently wielded.

Stepping forward, a katana appeared in Shirou's right hand while three blades were squeezed in between the fingers of his left.

"Come then King of Knights, Ruler, Saber of Red." He stated with a smile. "Let us pass the time together shall we?"

Narrowing her eyes, Jeanne realized that fighting was the only way out now. As such, she cried out.

"Arthur, Mordred, on me!"

* * *

 

"Finally..."

After having made sure that there no security measures that could stop him, one of the Assassin personas stepped into the workshop of the Caster and Roche.

Behind a wall, a passage opened up to reveal an addition section of the area. In it where several large glass pods, each of which revealed to contain a homunculus within. All except one that is, as said subject was asleep upon the operation table within the middle of the room.

His task right had been to eliminate them all, as doing so would've cut the power of the Black Faction Servants in half.

Assassin found it to be an ingenious tactic, using several homunculi as living batteries for the Servants so that their Masters could operate at full power. That said, it was also a crutch, one that he and his allies would now exploit. With Caster too busy dealing with his brethren, now was his chance to make a move.

Taking out his dagger, the Servant of the Shadows decided to begin with his task, starting with the one in the middle of the room.

"...!"

Just as he was about to plunge the dagger deep into his chest, a hand grabbed his own as he stared deeply into blood-red eyes glaring at him as mana suddenly began to coalesce from within Sieg's body.

"My life is not yours to take...!"

Sieg opened his mouth and roared.

* * *

 

"That looks like the last of them...!"

Somewhere within the castle, both Gordes and Celenike stood together amidst the remains of a bunch of dragon-tooth warriors. Accompanying the two were a bunch of homunculi armed with weapons and a few golems.

"Celenike, do you know how Rider is doing right now?" The former asked.

"Fine all things considered. He's engaging one of the enemy's Archer-Class Servants." The gray-haired woman replied as he dusted herself. Once this battle was over, she'd need to get something to drink. And perhaps get one of her homunculi servants to entertain her...

Seeing that there weren't any enemies left

"Come, we should-"

"Master watch out!"

A homunculus quickly leaped right in front of Gordes as a dagger struck her in the head, instantly killing her. The two magi quickly went on alert as they recognized the tool responsible to be a dirk, Assassin of Black's weapon of choice.

"Call Saber here quick!"

Gordes didn't need to be told that twice as he called out to his Servant and Celenike to Rider.

* * *

 

Leaping back after another clash of their two weapons, Siegfried eyed his opponent carefully.

Rider was very much a skilled fighter. So far they were in a stalemate, but that could change with but a single moment, and that would be all that would be needed to determine the victor between the two. He contemplated using Balmung, but he needed to make sure that Rider didn't had anything that could be used as a counterattack.

Before he could think on the matter any longer, the Servant of the Sword felt a pulsing sensation from within himself.

"T-This is...!"

As much as he wanted to take care of Rider first, his Master was in danger. Quickly, the Servant of the Sword disappeared in a flash.

"Hmm... I'll admit, that's rather disappointing."

Deciding to sit down, Perseus removed his mask as he sighed to himself.

Well, his job was to merely help stall their enemies until their leader and that boy Julian finished up with what they were doing down below. Saber disappearing meant that either they were finished and had moved on to phase two, or that they were found out and being engaged by the enemy.

Perseus wondered if he should go and check. He wasn't really fond of the others in the Rogue Faction, perhaps with the exception of Lancer and the Chaste Huntress. And so far, he hadn't received any orders yet. As such, he might as well sit and enjoy the view for now.

Up above, the battle in the skies continued to rage on between Archer of Red and Berserker. Aside from those two, the fortress was busy being assaulted by the combined might of the King of Conquerors, Rider of Black, and Berserker of Black, with his two allies Atalanta and Robin Hood keeping them at bay with a barrage of arrows.

"I wonder, what would you think of this... Master?"

His eyes wondered, having decided to observe the other battle going on in the skies...

* * *

 

Flying at speeds impossible for normal humans to keep up with on a visual basis, Gilgamesh and Lancelot continued their duel as the former chased the latter in the sky.

After more than a few clashes, the latter's jet was slowly beginning to break down. Seeing this, the former merely clicked his tongue.

"Hmph, as expected."

Whatever ability the Black Knight had, it allowed him to utilize anything as a weapon. It was the main reason why he was able to take hold of the weapons shot out from the treasury of the Golden King.

However, they had one weakness. In utilizing an object as a weapon, the Black Knight's ability also increases the capabilities of the whatever he wielded. But in doing so, it resulted in the weapon becoming more fragile as well since some things were not meant to be pushed beyond a certain threshold. It was the main reason why the fighter jet that Berserker had been flying suddenly began to break down. It could not withstand prolonged use under the Black Knight, even as a vehicle made for combat.

For Gilgamesh, this was rather disappointing. He had wanted their battle to last a little bit longer as Berserker had proven himself, being more than just a mere mongrel who attempted to steal his treasures and use them against him. Alas, it could not happen.

"Perhaps it is time to finish this." The Golden King stated as he uncrossed his arms. "Hmm?"

He saw the jet suddenly going faster, enough to put a significant distance between the two Servants. Not long afterwards did the Harrier made a full on one-eighty degree turn, resulting in Berserker being put on path face-to-face with the Golden King.

"Hahaha! I see, head on. Very well!"

Increasing speed, Gilgamesh charged as ten portals of light appeared beside Vimana.

As soon the distance between the two reached an appropriate measure, Berserker unleashed one final salvo of missiles aimed towards his opponent.

"As if such tactics would work against me!"

Explosions rang out as his treasures intercepted the missiles. Smirking, he knew that it was the last batch Berserker had before he ran out of ammunition. The only thing he had left now were the guns attached onto the plane itself, and he could easily counter said armaments.

Such were his thoughts however...

What he hadn't realized was that Berserker's plane had one last armament he could use aside from the guns. Though his thoughts were clouded with rage and insanity, he retained his martial prowess and some sense of tactics.

Taking care to not slip, the Servant of Madness leaned over into the cockpit, smashing it open to reveal a missile launcher. Having been placed there by Shirou in the event that the Black Knight would need it. Taking it out, he readied it as soon the missiles he launched made contact with Archer of Red's weapons.

"What...!?"

As soon as the smoke cleared, and the distance between the two now far closer, Gilgamesh saw the weapon in Berserker's hands.

"RAAAAAAGH!"

Before he had time to react, Berserker fired the missile.

***BOOM***

Making contact, Vimana was engulfed in smoke and flames just as Berserker was about fly by it.

"NOT YET!"

Suddenly, the roar of an engine echoed throughout the sky as Gilgamesh emerged from the flames riding a golden motorcycle. Had he been sane, Berserker would have been incredibly taken aback by it.

***BAM***

"...!"

The front wheel made contact with the Berserker's helmeted head, causing the Black Knight to be sent flying thanks to the sheer force of the impact. The Harrier that he flew lost its blackened aura and soon began to disintegrate as it and the Golden King began to fall out from the sky.

Using his wit, Gilgamesh summoned a rather lengthy chain, using it to form a makeshift net sustained by the Gate of Babylon beneath him as he fell upon it.

"Heh, you have once again served me well, my friend."

A road of chains soon formed, the Golden King riding down it as headed back towards the center of battle.

* * *

 

"You annoying little pigs!"

Elizabeth zipped past enemy forces as she continued to strike down any came within range. By now, she was starting to get tired at dealing with so many, especially with Rider having been summoned back by his hag of a Master. She and Rider of Red would need to do something soon, and fast.

"...!"

A thought popped up in her mind. Of course! She could always do that!

"Alright then~! It's time for the star to take front and center~!"

Spinning her weapon above her head, a magic circle suddenly appeared beneath the Servant of Madness as she landed neatly on it, to which the pinkette now stood on thin air.

"Hmm? What's this...?"

At that moment, Iskander felt a strange sensation going through his body. He scanned the area, and quickly saw what Berserker of Black was doing.

"I see, so she's planning on utilizing her Noble Phantasm."

Curious to see what would happen, the King of Conquerors decided to pull back for now as to not get in the way of what Berserker was about to unleash.

Elizabeth smiled as she saw this. Now she had the stage all to herself.

Smashing the spear blade into the center of the circle, a pulse rang out as suddenly the pieces of what appeared to be a castle rose from the red light being emitted by the magic circle the Servant of Madness stood on. On closer inspection, one would notice that they had what appeared to be built-in loudspeakers...

"I won't let you!"

Taking point, Atalanta aimed bow directly at the Servant of Madness, mana beginning to surge within the Chaste Huntress as she held two arrows at bay. If Berserker was about to use her Noble Phantasm, then it was only appropriate that the she would return to favor as well.

"Pay attention now~!"

Taking a deep breath, mana began to surge from the dragon-blooded child. On instinct, the remaining enemy forces in the sky all flew towards her.

**_"PHOEBUS CATASTROPHE!"_ **

The Chaste Huntress released both arrows in her hand And with that, a sudden hail of arrows appeared from the sky in a downpour directly aimed at the Servant of Madness.

_**"BATHORY ERZSEBET~!"** _

Unleashing a bellow akin to a dragon's roar, the sonic attack completely blew away and destroyed all opponents within its range. It was an attack that completely outclassed the multitude of warriors that filled the skies.

The sonic blast also knocked away the hail of arrows aimed at the pink-haired Servant, and continued to make its way directly towards the fortress.

"...!?"

Atalanta quickly hid behind a pillar and covered her ears as the attack surged throughout the complex. For someone like her, whose hearing was more enhanced compared to a human being, it would've proven quite deadly even at the distance they were at.

"Hahaha! Now that girl has one powerful set of lungs!" The King of Conquerors grinned at the pink-haired Servant as he came up beside her. "Berserker, would you care to join my army once this is all over? Someone like you would be a welcome addition!"

"Can I hold a concert every now and then~?" The girl asked.

"Of course!" The red-haired man replied.

"Hmm~" Elizabeth crossed her arms. "I'll think about it for now."

Looking back towards the fortress, the two noticed that they now had a path open towards it. Berserker's attack had eliminated what was left of their aerial forces, but it didn't seem to affect the building itself.

"Should we go in?"

"As much as I would like to, we don't know yet the full capabilities of our enemy." Iskander replied. "Perhaps if our friend the paladin hadn't left us, we could, but I still don't like our chances. At least not until we have more of our allies with us."

He once again contemplated using his Noble Phantasm here, but decided against it. While his army could certainly help deal with individual soldiers and the like, they were still going up against someone who had control over a flying fortress of all things.

As the two Servants floated in the sky, several dozen spheres of light began to manifest around the fortress.

"Ah, it looks like that thing is about to attack again."

"Oh? Then I suppose we should get out of the way now."

* * *

 

Feeling a strange sensation overriding his thoughts, Caules realized that Berserker had just used her Noble Phantasm.

Looking up, he saw it. Much like Berserker herself, it was an absurd construct. Just what kind of castle included built-in loudspeakers in the walls?!

"Well, maybe hers..." He chuckled to himself.

Soon enough, thanks to the Servant of Madness' attack, the enemy numbers began to dwindle in the sky. And as for their ground forces, things were about to wrap us well. That said, it was as though the Rogue Faction decided to pull some of them back.

Seeing this, Waver couldn't help but think that something wrong was going on. That said, he didn't have much time to dwell as he someone called out to him.

"What do we do now?"

Kairi came up as he reloaded his guns together with Fiore, Gray, and the others.

"I'm going to check on both Gordes and Celenike." Waver replied before he began issuing commands. "Shishigou, you're with me. The rest of you, stick together and don't do anything rash. Lancer, you can take care of them can't you?"

"Hey, don't be insulting me."

Saying that, Lancer casually approached the group as he destroyed another warrior with a smirk on his face.

"I can't be much of a Heroic Spirit if I can't even do something as simple as that." He said. "Just leave the kids to me."

Honestly, Lancer would have preferred taking on any of the Rogue Servants. But when it came down to it, he was Ayaka's Servant. As such, his first order of business was to make sure that she was safe at all times. Adding a few more to the list didn't really bother him all that much.

Said statement also got a mild reaction out of said kids, most especially Reines as the youngest one in the group.

"Heh, I'm counting on you Lancer."

"Hey kid!"

Hearing the mercenary calling out to him, Caules looked up in surprise when he saw a handgun suddenly being thrown right at him. The young man panicked as he tried to get a proper grasp of it, sighing in relief once he did so. Afterwards, he began glaring at the older man.

"Watch it will you!? A gun can go off if you throw it like that!"

"Hah!" Kairi merely laughed. "Anyway, keep that on you. Right now, you're the only one without something to defend yourself with right?"

Caules wanted to rebuke that statement, but he knew it was true.

Looking down on the gun, Caules saw that it was a Beretta M9, slightly modified from its original appearance. He immediately knew its name because he saw it once in a gun magazine he decided to buy on a whim one time. The benefits of being a modernized citizen of the world.

"Be sure to aim carefully when you're about to shoot. The thing packs a bigger punch than normal guns thanks to a few upgrades I made to it."

"R-Right." Caules nodded in response. This was the first time he held a gun in his hands. It had a certain weight on it that he couldn't really describe.

"Let's not delay any longer." Waver stated.

"Lead the way." Kairi responded.

And with that, the two adults quickly left the area.

* * *

 

***THWACK***

Taking care not to miss, Chiron continued to shoot down the remaining dragon-tooth warriors that flew right above the castle.

Gritting his teeth, he held his right arm for a moment.

"An injured arm? I suppose that would make things easier then."

Turning around in a split second, the Servant of the Bow released another arrow aimed at the source of the voice.

Said voice belonged to none other than the Rogue Rider, the masked Servant slightly adjusting his head as the arrow flew past it. Accompanying him were over twenty Assassin personas, each wielding a weapon that didn't look like it belonged to them as part of their standard arsenal. He was wondering to himself just when Assassin of Black would try to eliminate him, their betrayal having been revealed by Caster. After all, with his injury, there was a higher chance of them succeeding.

As for the former, there was strange sense of familiarity present when Chiron first laid his eyes upon the masked Servant during his arrival on the scene earlier, but he wasn't able to make a deal out of it.

"The wise and great teacher Chiron." He began. "As unfortunate as it is, I have been ordered to eliminate you."

"Yet clearly you decided to show yourself first instead of striking with my back turned." The bowman replied. "Is it honor or pride that drove you to that? And judging from the way you speak to me, you're not just someone who has heard of my name, but rather you know me."

Indeed, there was a sense of formality when Rider spoke to the green-haired archer. It wasn't just him being courteous, but something else entirely. That much Chiron could tell.

"Perceptive... I expected as much from you."

Placing a hand on his mask, he removed it together with his black cloak, revealing himself to Chiron who blinked in surprise and shock.

"It's been too long, my old master."

"You are... Perseus." He said as the said person merely smiled.

How long had it been since he laid his eyes upon the eyes of the youth, whose own sense of brashness eventually resulted in him venturing to the island of the gorgons to prove himself despite his training being incomplete at the time? And despite those flaws, eventually overcame the gorgon and became a great hero?

As expected, he looked older than when he last saw him. He noted that Perseus' voice sounded strange earlier, and Chiron attributed that to the mask his pupil had worn. After removing it, he returned to sounding like the young man he had taught millenia ago.

However, when Chiron gazed into his former pupil's eyes once more, he no longer saw the eyes of the heroic youth, but a haunted soul who was but a shell of his former self. Just what in the world had happened to him?

"Perseus, just what in the world...?"

The green-haired archer began but was cut off when Perseus raised a hand.

"Let's not make this more difficult than it already is." He replied, raising Harpe. "I am here to kill you. Nothing more, nothing less."

Pausing for a moment, Chiron merely shook his head. Smiling as he readied himself for the coming conflict.

"You've grown haven't you?"

He said in reply, not expecting an answer. Indeed, there wasn't any point in asking his former student about anything else. Right now, the two were simply warriors, Servants, who were fighting for the ultimate prize. Still, Chiron couldn't help but admit that it made him feel a bit lonely...

"Very well then. Come Perseus, I'll take you and your companions on at the same time."

* * *

 

Having moved the site of their battle away from the castle, two heroes found themselves fighting in the nearby forest.

"Hahaha! Is that the best you got?!"

"...!"

***CLANG***

Parrying the incoming strike with his shield, Karna's spear merely bounced off from it as Achilles quickly went on the offensive once more.

Five straight thrusts, all aimed at his vital spots. The armor given to Karna by his father protected him with ease from Lancer of Red's spear. As far as he could tell, it was a weapon that held no special attributes other being a finely crafted one. A reliable weapon for a great warrior such as the man he was currently fighting.

***CLANG* *CLANG***

Two strikes, one parried by Achilles' spear and the other once again with his shield.

Karna quickly found himself evenly matched with his current opponent. Through the combination of both the latter's shield and sheer speed alone, most of Karna's attacks were being parried by the warrior. Karna had seen the shield being used in tandem together with Ruler's own Noble Phantasm earlier. Whatever it was, it was quite strong as even with one of his stronger attacks,

Charging forward with a burst of flames, Karna swung his spear downwards as Achilles dodged to the side, the attack swiftly creating a small crater. Not done yet, the white-haired Servant swung it once more to the side, his foe quickly spun around in a leap before it hit him.

***BAM***

As soon as he landed, Achilles found a golden armored foot smacking him right in the face. An action that resulted in the Hero of Troy being sent crashing through a few trees. Looking closely, he saw the warrior on the ground hunched over. It was only for a moment however as Achilles quickly rose his head with a large grin on his face.

Standing up, his spear de-materialized as he took hold of his shield before throwing it right at the white-haired Servant.

Seeing the incoming projectile, Karna prepared himself to intercept but was taken aback when it suddenly disappeared...

...Just as its owner closed the distance between the two.

Reacting as he fast as he could, Karna shifted his spear forward for a stab, missing by a few inches as the Hero of Troy grabbed his spear by the handle.

"Let's have a chat shall we?"

Pulling him close, Achilles clenched his fist and sent a right hook landing clean on Karna's face. Unfazed by this, the Invincible Hero returned the favor. Both then began to trade to blows with one another, at speeds that could be described as only be described as lightning fast.

"Haha! Real heroes should talk with their fists!"

"Is that so? Then I suppose we can also kill with a stare."

Before he could even ask what that meant, Achilles felt a strong surge of mana gathering. He quickly realized that his opponent was about to utilize his Noble Phantasm.

Karna's right began eyes glowing brightly, turning his attention completely onto his foe. At this range, there was only a minimal chance of him missing.

"Ah shit-!"

_**"BRAHMASTRA!"** _

* * *

 

"Hehe~!"

Watching the huge explosion occur on the side of the mountain, Manaka smiled as she sat atop one of the buildings of the castle, wondering to herself as to what would have caused such a beautiful scene.

Currently, the young blonde decided to take a break from trying to find Saber as she found the current battle a bit too interesting to miss. After all, even if she did take a break, it didn't mean she would miss her chance of finding her Prince didn't it?

Looking down, she observed that battle that was happening right now. She passed by it earlier when she first entered the premises, but found herself a bit distracted with everything that was going on to care. It was obvious to her that Lancer was going to win the fight, he just had that many advantages over Berserker.

That said, her interest was once again piqued when she saw Lancer's Master arrive in order to support him.

She then quickly realized that he was someone she had met a long time ago. And just like her, he hadn't aged at all for the past sixty years. She actually found it a little creepy that he would look so young despite being human.

Of course, in Manaka's view, she was an exception to this since she was a girl.

"Hmm~" Her smile suddenly began to widen. "Perhaps I should say hello~?"

* * *

 

"Rrrrngh...!"

Trapped in place by a dozen spears and stakes impaling him, Berserker of Red growled at Lancer of Black who casually walked right in front of him.

The courtyard was now in complete disarray, scorch marks, remnants of broken spears, and craters filling it. That said, Vlad himself was only midly scratched up from their battle with one another. The Berserker-Class truly were ferocious heroes.

"You are truly a magnificent warrior Berserker." He praised the Servant of Madness with a smile. "It's quite a shame that you've been driven to such a state. If not, then perhaps the two of us could have had a more exciting battle. One befitting our status as a heroes of a bygone era."

Summoning his own personal lance, Vlad stood right in front of Berserker.

"Perhaps another time then."

Thrusting his spear forward, he impaled the Servant of Madness right through his heart. And with said act, he also destroyed the class-card serving as Berserker's spiritual core.

Soon afterwards, the mad Servant began to dissipate back into nothingness. Raising his head, his sanity returned, the red-haired warrior spoke for both the first and last time.

"I am Lu Bu... Remember my name, Lancer."

This wasn't really a bad end. Although he lost, he had quite an entertaining time. The last time he had felt such fun was when he had fought against the three sworn brothers, but he had to cut that short due to circumstances. This time though, it didn't. And though his pride would've normally gone against it, dying at Lancer's hands didn't really trouble him in the slightest. In the end, a warrior's death was the highest honor that someone like him could receive, and Lancer gave it to him.

With that, one of the mightiest warriors of China disappeared from the world, a satisfied grin on his face. The only thing remained were the pieces of the class-card Vlad had destroyed.

Having watched the entire scene from the sidelines, Darnic stepped forward and called out to Lancer.

"Is everything well?"

"Yes, though I find myself needing to take a moment." Vlad admitted. "I take it you're disappointed at the fact that I destroyed that card of his?"

"Somewhat." Darnic admitted as he crossed his arms. "We could've taken his card and studied it, used it for our own purposes... But I suppose it couldn't be helped, at least not with Rogue Faction still running amok."

"Indeed, we cannot risk it yet." Vlad replied with a nod. It was the reason he decided to go right ahead and destroy the card after all. "Now then, with our task done here. Let's go and support Ruler. So far the Grail is still there correct?"

"Yes, having Caster create those seals on it have truly benefited us." Darnic replied. "If not, I believe that the grail would have already been taken by now."

"Oh? You're leaving already~?"

Just as the two were about to leave the area, the voice called out to the two.

Turning around, both saw a young blonde-haired girl, most likely around her early teens, walking up to them with a smile on her face. The most unusual fact about her was that she wore a bloodstained blue-dress opened up slightly to reveal what appeared to be...

"A Command Spell...?" Vlad wondered aloud. What was strange about the Command Spell on the girl's chest was that it was black in color. As far as he knew, Command Spells were always red in color. That's what the grail provided him with, and so far each master in the grail war did indeed share the same color.

Add to the rather serene smile that the girl had, there was something about her that made Vlad wary, but he couldn't tell why...

Looking towards his Master, the Servant of Spear could only gaze at him in surprise as he saw his Darnic's expression.

"Impossible...! You're...!"

The blue-haired man could only widen his eyes in shock. But that was impossible! How could she be here?! Last he had known, she had died towards the end of the Holy Grail War sixty years ago. He did some investigation some time after said war, and her sister was confirmed to be an orphan and last remaining member of their family after the conflict. Did he miss something!?

"It's been a while hasn't it?" The girl greeted. "You're looking well. Say, you wouldn't happen to know where Saber is do you~?"

"Saber?" Vlad muttered in confusion. Just who was she referring to? He highly suspected that it was the King of Knights that the girl was talking about though...

"Hmm~ Judging from your expression, I say you do know." The young blonde stated as her smile widened. "You don't mind telling me where he is right~?"

"Lancer!" Darnic quickly called out as he raised his hand. "By the power of my Command Spell, I order you to eliminate this girl at once!"

"What?!"

That was all Vlad could say as his body began to move on its own, the power of the Command Spell overriding his sense of self-control as he summoned his weapon.

Stabbing his spear into the ground, thousands of stakes rose from it as they all aimed themselves right at the young girl, who was quickly enveloped within a pyramid of them. Seeing this, Darnic relaxed himself. Even she couldn't have survived that in one piece.

"Are you out of your mind?!" Vlad demanded as he glared in anger at his Master. "You would dare waste a Command Spell for such a-!"

"No, trust me when I say this." Darnic began in reply. "That girl... she isn't someone that can be allowed to live. She's just too dangerous."

"Well that's a bit mean~ I haven't even done anything yet."

Both men quickly went on the alert as they heard the voice of the girl call out from within the pyramid of spears and stakes.

Within the next few moments, it was quickly destroyed, revealing the young blonde smiling at them.

Behind her stood a large behemoth of a man. Dark skin and wild barbarian hair, a muscular entity that would have put to shame the most physically fit man in the current world. He wore little armor, mostly on his waist, wrists, and legs. His torso and right arm wrapped in slightly in chain, with a lion's head accessory on the former, and red markings on his body. In addition, the black giant wielded a large golden axe of simple yet intricate design.

"Berserker...?!"

Vlad was in shock, albeit for different reasons. Just who in the world was this girl?! For her to command a Servant, whose presence and appearance alone told him that he was a very powerful warrior and under the Berserker-Class no less... it should've been impossible! Wait, could it be that she was part of the Rogue Faction?! That was the first thing that quickly came to mind.

On the other hand, Darnic himself was in shock for another reason entirely...

"He was your Servant from before right?" The girl asked, revealing a rather surprising piece of information for the Servant of the Spear. "Maybe the two of you should have a little reunion?"

Turning around to look at the giant, Manaka continued to smile as she called out to him.

"Go ahead Berserker, you can go play with your old Master for a while~!"

"▂▂▃▃▄▄▅▅!"

Letting out a mighty roar, Berserker charged.

* * *

 

"What was that...?"

Still remaining within the gardens after Waver and Kairi left them, Caules muttered to himself in wonder as to what could possibly create such a disturbing noise.

"I don't know, but I have a bad feeling." Fiore said as she closed her eyes for a good few moments before snapping them open once more. "Caules, you stay right here with the rest, I'm going to go find Archer. I'm worried about him."

"You sure that's a good idea? I mean with everything that's going on..."

"I'll be fine, I know my around the castle after all." Fiore smiled at her younger brother, finding it sweet that he was worried about her. "I'll be careful, and I feel Archer close by anyway, so I shouldn't run into too much trouble."

"How about we all just go together?" Lancer suggested, walking towards the sibling duo. "Besides, it's better than just standing here doing nothing."

"Is it alright with the rest of you?"

"I have no complaints." Reines replied, as did Ayaka and Gray. There no point in asking Caules as he was going with her no matter what, Fiore knew him well enough that he would do such a thing with or without her permission.

"Very well, let's go together.

* * *

 

***CLANG***

Their swords clashing against each other, the two Rulers stared each other down when suddenly an overwhelming sensation clouded both their senses. Both momentarily halted their battle as they raised their heads, wondering to themselves as to what it was they were feeling.

"T-This is...!"

"But it couldn't be...!"

Rather, they already knew it. It was more of a matter of questioning how it was possible. If not for the surprised look on Shirou's face as well, Jeanne would have assumed that it was the doing of his group, but clearly it wasn't the case.

They weren't the only ones, Arthur, Mordred, and the Assassins stopped what they were doing as well as they too felt the overwhelming sensation. The former in particular looked felt that said sensation he was feeling was actually familiar to him.

_'It can't be...?'_

"Kotomine!"

Julian suddenly called out, catching everyone's attention. In front of him, the greater grail suddenly began glowing brightly.

"We're done here, ready your Servant for the package!"

Shirou nodded as he called out to Assassin of Red.

* * *

 

"...!?"

Semiramis felt a shiver go down her spine. Something had just happened down below at the castle, and she intended to find out what.

"What has happened O Queen of Assyria?"

Entering the room, Caster of Red appeared together with one other individual. A young red-haired girl, wearing clothes akin to the gothic-lolita fashion.

"Don't bother me, I don't have time for your nonsense." The raven-haired beauty curtly replied. Caster alone was a headache to deal with, especially when he began to rave on about his stories. But add the girl as well...

"Hey lady, mind telling me where your Master is?" The girl wearing the gothic-lolita dress demanded before she suddenly began smirking. "Don't tell me he finally decided to run away with his tail between his legs? What a lame guy he is~ I knew Lord Julian was mistaken in deciding to work that bastard."

"You do realize that by saying he was mistaken, you're indirectly calling your Lord Julian a fool as well."

"Wha-?!" The Assyrian Queen smiled in delight as she saw the girl's panicked expression.

"That's enough Beatrice."

A voice called out, and entering the room was a young woman with blonde hair and a rather curvaceous figure dressed in a white blouse and long skirt. Her hair had been done up in long twin tails. She had a serious expression on her face, showing that she was a no nonsense person.

"Angelica..." Beatrice muttered as she frowned at her.

"Lord Amakusa has taken it upon himself to aid our Lord as they extract the grail together. Insulting him as you do serves no purpose other than to make you look like a fool." Angelica revealed and then reprimanded the girl.

"Yeah, yeah..." The latter merely turned away in a huff and clicking her tongue.

Sighing at this, Angelica turned to face Semiramis.

"Back to the matter at hand," She began. "Did something happen?"

"I was about to check when you lot interrupted me." The raven-haired beauty replied as she began to gaze into her crystal ball, looking for answers for the strange feeling she had just received.

Her eyes quickly widened in shock as she what it was.

"There's a new Servant...!"

Said statement quickly got a reaction out of the others in the room, most especially Caster of Red who began to smile.

"Hmm~? What is this? A new character has taken to the stage?" Shakespeare said in delight. "Perhaps I should go out and observe this newcomer~!"

"Now that I think about it, just what the hell are you still doing here in the first place?! Aren't you a man?! Go down there and help the others!" Beatrice suddenly began to shout at the Servant of Magic, who merely laughed it off as he replied.

"Haha! I'm afraid that's not possible. For you see, I have no combat capability whatsoever! I'd be terribly useless if I were to enter the battle as I am now." He said, a jovial grin on his face. "Not surprising considering that I am a writer of course. My battlefield is the literary world!"

 _'So he admits to being useless...'_  The three women simultaneously thought.

At that moment, Semiramis felt her master calling out to her via telepathy.

_"We're finished here Assassin, get ready to position the gardens directly above us!"_

_"But of course~"_

The Assyrian Queen replied as she began smiling and looked towards the others in the room.

"Ready yourselves, those two boys are now finished." She said. "I'll call for the others to retreat. Considering that the newest addition to this battle is doing battle against Lancer of Black, we can leave the rest to their group."

Angelica and Beatrice nodded and left, while Shakespeare merely sighed in disappointment.

"Tis a shame we have to leave so soon. I would have liked to watch this scene to play out to its very end."

"Stop your complaining." The raven-haired beauty scolded.

* * *

"You lot aren't going anywhere until I say so!"

Swinging Clarent, Mordred easily knocked away the Assassin personas that surrounded her as she made her way towards the white-haired priest with her blade at the ready.

Seeing this, Shirou merely smirked as he intercepted her attack, using quick footwork to move around the red knight as she missed him, before using his knowledge of martial arts to push her back with two quick blows to the back using his elbow and foot.

Stumbling, Mordred gritted her teeth as she regained her footing as she spun around and swung at the young man.

Once again countering, Shirou used his katanas to intercept the red knight's attacks, their blades clashing against one another. An idea suddenly came to mind as the young man began smirking. Mordred didn't like said look and prepared herself.

"Compared to your father, you're a far easier opponent to deal with."

"Wha-!?"

That statement was enough for the Knight of Treachery to lose focus, and gave enough time for Shirou to punch her away with surprising strength, sending the red knight flying into a wall. But, just before she made impact...

"...!"

Mordred felt herself being caught by someone.

Looking behind her, she was surprised to see her father, who, after settling her down, began to glare directly at the white-haired priest, who himself began to speak after having witnessed what the white knight had just done.

"Showing fatherly affection are you?"

He got his answer in the form of Excalibur being swung at his head, an act which Shirou evaded as the white knight got into a stance.

"I'm your opponent." Arthur said, turning to look at Jeanne. "Master, I leave Assassin to you and Mordred. This is a fight I need to settle for myself."

Jeanne wanted to say something, but considering Arthur's history with Shirou, she conceded. There was the matter of what the latter had said about the former, as well as the new presence that she felt, but that could wait. Right now, they had to defend the grail.

"Mordred, can I count you?" The young saint asked as she and the other blonde stood back-to-back. More Assassins appeared within the room as they did so.

Hearing her question, the red knight merely smirked at Jeanne.

"Let's just cut the chit-chat and kill these bastards shall we?"

* * *

"▂▂▃▃▄▄▅▅!"

"Tch...!"

Summoning thousands upon thousands of spears and stakes, the Lord Impaler was currently fighting the hardest battle he had taken part in yet.

His actions were futile, as Berserker's quickly powered through the armaments as he came after the Servant of the Spear. Just one swing of his axe was enough to destroy them, and Vlad was sure that the Servant of Madness wasn't even trying and did it more as an afterthought.

Not only that, but for some reason his attacks could not penetrate Berserker's skin. Did he somehow have a defensive Noble Phantasm similar to Saber of Black? That would explain the trouble he was having right now.

"Darnic, what can you tell me about this mad beast!?"

While saying that, Vlad barely had enough time to dodge an incoming swing from Berserker's axe. For someone so large and muscular, the Servant of Madness was incredibly fast, far more so than Berserker of Red, and perhaps even above the others he had already seen in combat as well.

"Berserker..." Darnic was still in shock, still unable to believe that his former Servant was now doing battle against his current one.

Snapping out of it, he replied to Lancer's question.

"Be wary milord! For the one you face is none other than the Greek hero Heracles!" He revealed much to Vlad's shock and surprise.

"You have got to be joking!" The latter exclaimed incredulously as he countered, albeit with effort, a heavy strike from the mad Servant.

"Ahahaha~! Of course he's not joking, he was his former Master after all~" Manaka laughed like the young girl that she was. Currently, the young blonde was seated atop a large piece of debris that came from the previous battle. "Oh, and you better think of something quick. Heracles has a Noble Phantasm that makes him immune to anything below A-Rank attacks, and that's not even getting into the rest."

While saying that, Heracles' axe was trapped in place when Vlad summoned several dozen stakes to bind him temporarily. Seeing a chance, he aimed a bunch directly at the mad Servant's mouth.

"▂▂▃▃▄▄▅▅!"

Another futile effort, as the Greek Hero bit down hard and destroyed them. Afterwards, he freed himself from the binding as he sent the Servant of the Spear flying into a wall.

Standing up, Vlad held his arm as it began to ache. Even with all his bonuses, it looked like it was all for nothing when faced with the mightiest warrior in all of Greece. The son of Zeus truly was a formidable foe.

That said, Lancer could not accept his opponent for a single reason.

"As if I could lose to the so-called son of a pagan god!"

His belief in the Abrahamic God was part of what made him the man he was. Seeing Heracles, a so-called demigod, standing before him and defeating him in combat wasn't something he could accept at all. As such, failure was not an option for the Lord Impaler.

"Come Berserker! It would take more than that to kill me!"

"▂▂▃▃▄▄▅▅!"

As the two Servants once again clashed, Darnic couldn't but curse the current situation as he turned his gaze towards the girl responsible.

"Sajyou Manaka...! Just in the world do you want?! Just why are you here?!"

Hearing her name being called out, the former Master of Saber stared at the blue-haired man as she began speaking.

"What I've always wanted, to grant my darling prince's wish of course~!" The girl replied, smiling happily. "Ah, but you shouldn't worry about me. You should worry about what that thing in the sky is about to do."

Confused for a moment as to what she could have meant, Darnic's eyes snapped wide in realization when saw the flying fortress now directly above the castle itself. Until now, it had maintained a distance between its location and the castle. But now that it was above, there was only one reason he could come to as to why that was.

The seals on the grail had been broken, and the Rogue Faction was now going to secure it.

Unable to accept that outcome, and seeing no other way for Lancer to win over Berserker, Darnic raised his hand and called out.

"Lancer, by the power of my Command Spell, I order you to use your second Noble Phantasm!"

"What!?" Vlad demanded as the power of the seal began to dominate his being.

Resisting it as much as he could, the Servant of the Spear glared murderously at the head of the Yggdmillennia clan.

"Darnic you bastard! What have I told you about forcing me to use that?! Do you truly wish to suffer my wrath?! I'd sooner die at the hands of Berserker than become the abomination that my name has been associated with!"

"I'm afraid I no longer care for you opinion." Darnic replied unfazed by the former's threats. "If I must, I'll force you too!"

"Damn you!"

"Ah, I'm afraid we can't have that."

Without warning, Manaka appeared right in front of Darnic as she placed her hand over the arm where his Command Spell was located at. He froze up as the girl smiled sweetly at him, continuing to speak as she did so.

"Really now, having an argument like this when your enemy is right in front of you~?"

Heracles stood behind the young blonde, his red and gold eyes gleaming under the night sky.

* * *

Fiore decided to go on ahead of the others once she felt Archer's presence more clearly. She soon reached the area where she knew him to be, atop one of the many towers of the castle. Thanks to her mystic code, she easily climbed up the side of the building with ease, making for quick travel.

She could feel the presence of another Servant there, and she knew that it wasn't one of their own. As such, she needed to ready herself.

"Archer...!"

As soon she reached at the top, Fiore called out to her Servant...

"Hehe...!"

...Only for her to widen her eyes in horror.

There on his knees was Archer, the green-haired warrior impaled by a number of swords and bleeding all over. Numerous bodies surrounded him, each having been one of Assassin's personas. The sight of them as they began to dissipate into the air told her enough. Archer had been surrounded, and he fought with them all.

She would've assumed that he won... if not for the other Servant standing right in front of Archer.

With one arm bleeding and broken and the other holding a strange looking spear that resembled a sickle, Perseus stood over his former teacher with an emotionless expression on his face... a stark contrast to the smile that Chiron directing at him.

"You've truly grown, Perseus..."

"I have you to thank for that, my great teacher..."

With that, Perseus pulled back Harpe, severing his former teacher's head.

* * *

***CLANG***

Evenly matched in their swordplay, both Arthur and Shirou leaped back from each other as they found themselves in a stalemate.

Both waited for the other to make a move, eyeing their respective body movements carefully.

For Arthur, fighting against an opponent using a light blade such as a katana, two of them in fact, was more difficult compared to other opponents he had to face. Thanks to the build of the weapon, his foe could move and strike faster than he could.

For Shirou, he noted that the King of Knight was as difficult an opponent as ever. And pitting a pair of katanas against a broadsword such as Excalibur really wasn't the best idea thought up as the two blades, despite their short usage, already began to wear down after continually clashing with the legendary holy sword.

As for Jeanne and Mordred, the two had just finished cutting down the rest of the Assassin personas. Only three or so were left within the room, including the bald male and the violet haired female. Those two in particular were more skilled compared to their counterparts.

"Tch, useless bunch...!" Julian clicked his tongue in distaste.

At that moment, an explosion occurred at the ceiling right above the greater grail. As the smoke cleared, a large hole leading to the outside had been created. The first thing Jeanne saw above had been the flying fortress belonging to the Rogue Faction.

"Ah, it looks as though our ride is here." Shirou suddenly smiled at the trio. "As much I enjoyed our meeting, I'm afraid I have to cut it short."

"Do you really think we would allow you people to get away?" Arthur stated as he readied Excalibur.

"Perhaps not, but-"

"▂▂▃▃▄▄▅▅!"

Hearing an inhuman roar coming from above them, those within the room looked up to see a person being thrown into the chamber through the hole. Said person was revealed to be none other than...

"Darnic...!?"

Julian stared incredulously at the mangled form of the head of the Yggdmillennia clan. Bloodied and bruised, life no longer filled his body. Although they were now enemies, he couldn't help but be shocked at his former ally's appearance. What had happened to him...!?

His answer came in the form of a huge black giant suddenly jumping into the hole, forming a small crater on the floor as he landed. Both Arthur and Shirou widened their eyes in shock as they realized who the newcomer was, for they both had fought against the black giant in the past before.

"Ehehehe~!"

The chilling laughter of a young girl could suddenly be heard throughout the area, one that caused Arthur to freeze up as the voice behind the laughter was one very familiar to him, belonging to a person he won't soon forget about.

"Humans are so fragile... maybe that's why we're so prone to being emotional. Or maybe not~?"

Turning around, the Arthur saw the girl once more... the very same girl he had sworn to protect all those years ago. There was no mistaking this time, it really was...

"Manaka."

There, the girl stood at the entrance to the room. Her hands behind her back and an angelic smile on her face. And as soon she laid her eyes upon her the white knight, her smile widened even more. Much like she had imagined, he hadn't changed at all thanks to being a Servant. He was as handsome as ever!

"Wait, what...?"

Hearing Arthur speak up and seeing the stunned expression that he had, Jeanne allowed her gaze to fall upon the girl known as Manaka.

So she was Arthur's former Master? She looked to be rather young, perhaps around the same age as Caster of Black's Maser, not at all like the elderly person that she should have appeared as that the young man said she would've been had she lived longer.

He had chosen to betray that girl...?

As for the girl in question herself, Manaka was unable to contain herself any longer as she called out to the white knight.

"It's been a long time... hasn't it Saber~?"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And so ends CH14. You know, I feel that this chapter is weak compared to the last one, especially since I had to cut back on other fight scenes since I felt that including them didn't really do favors for the flow of the chapter anymore than when they were originally there. For anyone disappointed by this, I apologize.
> 
> Anyway, onto the chapter itself.
> 
> Atalanta's NP vs Elizabeth's NP. I actually cannot see the former winning out over the latter despite the higher rank. Elizabeth's NP is basically a sonic roar while the former's NP is an arrow barrage. I cannot see it beating a sonic roar, so it resulted in that. The thing with Brahmastra being shot from Karna's right eye is something that I actually took from Fate/Extra CCC where he does the exact same thing. Vlad being unable pierce through Berserker's God Hand is because his NP actually tanks out as B-Rank.
> 
> Speaking of which, Heracles appears XD From the very start, I've been planning on adding him into the mix as one of Manaka's six Servants. I mean, while I like Jekyll/Hyde just fine, I really wanted to add the former into the mix. Speaking of which, Paracelsus was also replaced by another Servant from the franchise. No one from FGO, but someone who already made their debut before that game. Oh, and Heracles' appearance is based off from his Third Ascension Form in FGO.
> 
> And this time around Gilgamesh won the dogfight. There's a reason why I decided to bring in his motorcycle from Carnival Phantasm, and that was so he could smack Lancelot right in the face with it XD Granted, that scene could've been written better, and believe me I'll improve on it in the future along with other scenes I feel are lacking.


	15. Act II-15: Sajyou Manaka

 

_Manaka couldn't have been any happier than when she was right now._

_Having defeated the other six masters and servants, she and Saber were now closer more than ever in helping the latter achieve his wish. Their opponents were really tough, but as expected of her beloved prince, he was able to pull through every tough situation that he was in._

_However, there was a new problem that Manaka had come across._

_In order for the Greater Grail to achieve its full potential, it needed the sacrifice of seven Heroic Spirits. Meaning that even if a single Servant had defeated the other six, they would be unable to attain the grail themselves since it their life would be needed as well._

_Manaka couldn't bring herself to do that, not to her beloved prince. As such, she came up with an alternate solution._

_Sacrificing humans to the grail would've been more than sufficient. Although when compared to the_  average _Heroic Spirit, their value were significantly less and thus she would need to use a lot of human lives in order for them to serve as a sufficient replacement for Saber. Children in particular held more value as their existences were somewhat closer to the Akasha as younger beings._

_As such, Manaka hypnotized a bunch and brought them with her towards the location of the grail, one of them being her own little sister Ayaka._

_"Onee-chan...! Please... stop this...!" The girl cried out, tears streaming down her face._

_"It's alright Ayaka, onee-chan loves you." Manaka comforted her sister before placing a finger upon her forehead. "But, I want you to do something for me alright~? If you do, you'll be my most favorite person after Saber~!"_

_"Onee-chan...!" Whatever the girl had to say, it disappeared as she suddenly lost consciousness and her body began moving on its own._

_Manaka smiled at this, Ayaka was a good little sister to follow her big sister's orders. She soon joined the rest of the children, who lined up as they sacrificed themselves one by one to the grail._

_Not that it really bothered her. After all, what was their worth compared to her beloved prince?_

_The thought of said person thanking her for everything she had done for him... her imagination began running wild as a blush grew on her face. With this, Saber would surely begin to return her affections for him, wouldn't he?_

_"What is this...!?"_

_Hearing her beloved prince's voice, an elated smile grew on the girl's face as she the white knight standing at the entrance to the cavern._

_"Ah, Saber! Just wait alright~? I'll be with you in a minute."_

_As the girl's mind wandered, she felt something off..._

_"Eh...?"_

_It was a very strange sensation..._

_Just as she was praising the children for following her commands, something came and stabbed her in the back all the way through her chest..._

_Looking down on herself, she saw blood pouring from the wound, staining the very thing that connected her to her beloved prince. She couldn't even feel any pain coming from it as she was trying to comprehend the thing which was sticking out from it..._

_A holy sword of unrivaled magnificence..._

_It was none other than Excalibur, the Sword of Promised Victory, the very same sword that belonged to her beloved prince given to him by the Lady of the Lake after he had lost the Caliburn, the Sword in the Stone. Realizing this, she turned her head around and allowed her gaze to fall upon him._

_"Sa...ber...?"_

_Her prince's eyes were unusually cold, gone were the warm and caring look they had whenever he would gaze upon her. His mouth curved into an angry frown, a far cry from the smiles he always had when speaking with her. Soon, her beloved prince began speaking._

_"I too have committed a grave error. Both you and the grail... truly you both are twisted existences that need to be erased!"_

_Why would he say that? Saber promised to protect her didn't he? Didn't he know that hearing those words sounded really hurtful?_

_Manaka felt her body becoming weaker and weaker, blood beginning to pour itself from her wound and mouth as the pain suddenly began to flood her entire being._

_She was dying... she was dying wasn't she?_

_Manaka didn't really understand... she didn't really understand it even after Saber had pulled back his sword and suddenly kicked her into a ravine where the grail was situated in. She didn't even it realize it until the act was done, for her mind was filled with fear of one thing..._

_That she was dying... it meant that she could no longer see Saber again? If so, then..._

_Manaka smiled one last time... at the sight of her beloved prince as her ability to see began to blur._

_If she was dying... then at least she managed to see Saber one last time. It was an image that wouldn't leave her mind anytime soon..._

_...As soon as the girl thought that, darkness clouded her mind once she made impact_

* * *

_When Manaka came to, she found herself alone within a pool of black mud._

_"I'm... alive...?"_

_Aside from feeling a little sore, she was okay for the most part._

_"Ah! Saber...!"_

_Not bothering to even wonder how she was still alive, the young girl quickly made her way back up to where she last saw her beloved prince._

_Once there, she saw that Saber was no where to be found, the children that she had been using to fuel the grail were now gone themselves, the cave itself having mostly collapsed around itself a large hole revealing the sky above, and the Greater Grail had disappeared too._

_Looking down upon herself, she saw that her Command Spell was still on her. Using it, she realized that Saber had truly disappeared from the world._

_"Saber..."_

_Manaka continually began to mutter his name over and over... her eyes completely devoid of life as she stared off blankly into space._

_She had finally come so close in helping him grant his wish, so why did he have to disappear now? Was it fate's own twisted sense of humor at work?_

_...!_

_Suddenly feeling an incredible sensation come over her, Manaka held herself as she momentarily wriggled in pain. Realizing its source, she once again placed a hand over her Command Spell and soon enough the pain stopped. However, when it suddenly began to glow, the girl quickly realized what it was that caused her to feel such pain._

_Placing both hands upon herself and closing her eyes, she searched deeper within._

_Within the deepest reaches of her being, she found something quite unusual. Upon discovering what it was, the blonde began giggling to herself._

_"Ehehehe~! I see, so that means I can still grant Saber's wish...!"_

_She was certain of that... that one day her beloved prince would return. And when he did, she would be waiting for him, ready to shower him with her affection._

_"Saber, come back soon alright~?"_

* * *

"It's been a long time... hasn't it Saber~?"

Still stunned by her appearance before him and the rest, Arthur couldn't find the words to speak as he laid his eyes upon his former Master once more. Much like sixty years ago, she continued to wear the light blue dress that she had always favored dressing up in, though this time she lacked the shoes and went barefoot.

Looking closely at the young girl, he saw that the wound he had inflicted upon her all those years ago was still there, not having healed up since then.

"Ehehehe~! Keep staring like that and you'll make me blush you know~?"

Arthur merely narrowed his eyes in response, glaring at the girl as he tightened his grip on Excalibur.

"Why are you here Manaka?"

"Isn't it obvious? I came here to see you silly~!" She began walking over to the white knight. "Back then, you just left me without saying goodbye! Really now, is that how a man should treat a lady?"

"I see not a lady, but a child." Arthur replied somewhat deadpan, causing the girl to pout. He then took a step backwards once Manaka came close.

Seeing this, the blonde-haired girl tilted her head in confusion.

"What's the matter Saber~? Won't you even allow me to hug you~?" She asked, causing Jeanne to frown for reasons unknown even to the young saint.

"You didn't answer my question. Why are you here?"

This time, Arthur raised Excalibur and pointed it as the young girl's neck, causing the black giant that had appeared to suddenly begin roaring.

"▂▂▃▃▄▄▅▅!"

"Now, now, be calm Berserker~"

With but a few words, the black giant complied as he refocused his attention towards the others in the room, of whom relaxed when they saw the mad Servant go quiet.

Shirou couldn't help but sweat in fear. The last time had to deal with Berserker, it had nearly gotten him killed. As much confidence he had in his own abilities, the child of Zeus wasn't someone he was willing to go near as a Berserker-Class of all things.

There was also the matter of the girl known as Sajyou Manaka.

Much like the King of Knights, he too was shocked by the appearance of the girl before them. Back then, he was sure that he had seen Saber kill his own Master. Some time after that, he even went back to check. That said, he found nothing at the time and merely assumed that she was dead.

Now she had returned, and with Berserker under her total control. Sixty years ago, he had considered her to be the most dangerous Master out of the seven participants back then, most of whom were experienced magi one way or another.

While thinking this, he noticed Julian and Assassin ready to make a move against the girl. Quickly, Shirou motioned for both to stop as there was still the matter of Berserker to deal with. If they tried anything, the black giant would most definitely go on a rampage.

_"Assassin! What's taking you so long? Get us out of here!"_  The young priest called out via telepathy.

_"I'm trying, but there's something interfering with my magic."_ Semiramis replied. One could clearly tell from her tone she was speaking in she was actually distressed. _"It looks as though someone had just erected a boundary field around you that prevents outside interference. Whoever did it, it must be someone of incredible magic prowess for it to even prevent me from bypassing it."_

Shirou wondered if it was Manaka, but perhaps that was an overestimation of the girl's abilities. Then again, with her having Berserker under her command, there was a chance of _that person_  having been under her control as well. If so, that would explain a few things. She must've set up the barrier so that she could talk without any interruptions.

The other question would be how the girl was able to survive all these years, as well as having control over a Servant herself, but that was something that could wait.

_"Do what you can, but make it quick. If you were in this situation, you'd want to leave as fast as you could."_

_"Stay safe Master, I would feel quite troubled if something happened to you."_

"Assassin is doing what she can. We must hold out for now." Shirou muttered to Julian, who nodded in response. If the worst came to pass, he could always use a Command Spell to summon Lancer, whom he was confident would be able to help them deal with the situation.

"Heh~ So this is the new Holy Grail?"

Before anyone in the room even noticed it, Manaka had moved and was now currently standing right in front of the Greater Grail, eyeing it with a childlike gaze.

"For something that's supposed to be a replica, it looks real different than what I thought it was going to be like."

Both Shirou and Julian nearly jumped when they heard the girl speaking behind them. Motioning for Julian to distance himself the grail, the latter did so while eyeing the girl carefully while wondering how she appeared like that.

Arthur was also completely taken back by it as well. One moment he had Manaka at the neck and within the blink of an eye she was standing in front of the grail. Just what in the world was going on?

"That person over there really was good to be able to make this." Manaka looked over her shoulder, eyeing the corpse that Berserker had thrown into the room. "It's too bad he's dead though. Maybe I had him killed too quickly?"

Something quickly came to Jeanne's mind. With Darnic dead, just where did that leave Lancer of Black...?

"Oh, you're wondering about Lancer aren't you?"

Now standing right in front the young saint, Manaka smiled at her as she made her statement to the older blonde, who in turn was taken off guard by her sudden appearance.

"You shouldn't bother about him, I had Berserker kill him too." She happily revealed with a smile much to the shock of those present. "That's what they get for arguing with an enemy right in front of them. Only real idiots would something like that... Ehehehe~!"

Using her abilities, Jeanne quickly tried to find Lancer of Black's presence. When she felt that she couldn't detect him at all, she realized that the girl known as Manaka was speaking the truth, that she and Berserker were indeed responsible for Darnic and Lancer of Black's death.

But perhaps, it was too be expected. From the moment the black giant had appeared, she was able to identify him as Heracles, one of the mightiest heroes of Ancient Greece. Even with all his bonuses as a Servant that was born in Romania, Heracles would've been exceptionally formidable anywhere in Europe.

However, the question that ran through her mind at the moment was just how was it that girl managed to gain command over such a person?

"Hmm... so you're the new Ruler."

"...!"

The young saint blinked in surprise when the girl suddenly appeared right before her.

As for Manaka herself, she looked over the person that currently served as her beloved prince's Master. She had seen her before, but now that she was standing right in front of her, she noted that Ruler was in fact a very beautiful person.

While she thought of this, Manaka suddenly began frowning at the older blonde as her eyes centered around a specific area of her body.

_'This person... she really does have big breasts!'_

While she would normally not be one to dwell on such thoughts, she couldn't help but feel inadequate when she allowed her gaze to fall upon the rather buxom Ruler. Manaka's growth had been stunted sixty years ago, and while she could perhaps use magecraft to help fix the problem, it wouldn't have been natural. And Saber himself probably wouldn't have even recognized her with a more adult body.

With that said, she began wondering to herself what type of girl did Saber prefer. Did he like buxom women or petite girls?

Meanwhile Jeanne herself was ignorant of the thoughts that Manaka was having, merely staring at the girl awkwardly as she continued to stare at the young saint.

"Manaka!" Arthur called out once more, catching the girl's attention as she smiled at him.

"What is it Saber~?"

"I'll ask you again. Just why are you here?" He demanded.

"Like I said before," Manaka disappeared and quickly reappeared standing beside the grail. "I came here to see you. But I was curious to see for myself just what's going in this Holy Grail War. I've never seen one with so many people participating before. It's really interesting~!"

"So that means you've observing us up until now..." Arthur muttered before he realized something. "Now I see, you were behind what happened the other day."

"That's right~! I didn't know playing cat and mouse with you would be so much fun~!" She said, an elated smile on her face. "Speaking of which Saber..."

Manaka's mood suddenly shifted as happy smile turned into a cold one once she allowed her gaze to fall upon Mordred.

"That person over there... she's your child right?"

Mordred eyed the girl carefully. Whoever she was, there was something not right about her. Even someone like her could tell that much.

That said, her father knew this girl? Judging from the way they talked to each other, they knew each other well. If so, just who was she then?

"The legends say that King Arthur was killed by his own child." She stated as her smile suddenly began to widen itself. "And considering that she's a Heroic Spirit, I'm guessing that Saber of Red is Mordred. Then that means she's the one who killed you before... right?"

Realizing what she was planning to do, Arthur called out to the red knight.

"Mordred, move!"

"Wha-!?"

_**"LUMINOSITE ETERNELLE!"** _

Quickly leaping right in front of the Knight of Treachery, Jeanne activated her Noble Phantasm the moment she felt and saw a very powerful blast of energy heading straight for the latter, whom herself wouldn't have been able to react in time to the blast thanks to its suddenness.

...!

When compared to the flying fortresses' earlier attack, the power of the blast was weaker. Thanks to that, she was able to repel the blast as it curved to the side and blew up a section of the wall creating a large hole. The young saint wondered to herself if that was the full extent of what Manaka could do, or if it was just a taste.

"Thanks... I guess." The red knight muttered, still taken aback by what just happened. Jeanne merely smiled in response.

Normally she would have been annoyed by Ruler's interference, but from the moment Manaka saw Ruler activate her Noble Phantasm, she felt something off. There was a familiar sensation present when Ruler had utilized it to defend against her attack just now. Whatever it was, she intended to find out more.

At the moment however, she decided to let her and Saber of Red be for now. She had other priorities that needed dealing with first.

* * *

"Archer...!"

Fiore could only find herself calling out to her fallen Servant as his remains began to dissipate, the Command Spell on her arm disappearing as well, as tears began forming in the corners of her eyes as her mystic code briefly deactivated thanks to her grief, sending the girl to the ground.

Turning to look at the source of the voice, Perseus gazed solemnly at the young brunette.

"Are you angry? That I killed your Servant...?"

Hearing him speak out to her, Fiore glared at the Rogue Rider responsible for Archer's death.

Just now, right before he died, Archer had called him Perseus didn't he...?

"It'll be alright, you'll be joining teacher as well."

Saying that, Perseus made his way towards the brunette who quickly readied herself as her mystic code activated itself once more. Even if she couldn't win against a Servant, she would at least go down fighting. For Archer's sake, it was the least that she could do in honor of his memory.

"Screw that!"

Before she knew it, Lancer appeared swinging his red spear at Perseus who quickly leaped back a bit as the two Servants stared each other off. Taking a moment, the blue-haired spearsman looked back at her with a smirk on his face.

"How about next time you try waiting for us instead of going ahead?"

At that moment, the door to the roof opened and there stood Caules, Ayaka, Gray, and Reines.

"Sis!"

"Tch!"

Knowing that he was outmatched thanks to his broken arm, Perseus opted to retreat for now. He had done his fair share for his allies, the rest was up to them now.

With that, Perseus leaped off the roof.

"Hey! Get back here!"

Lancer called out as he ran towards the spot where the Rogue Rider had just jumped off. He stopped in his tracks when the cry of a horse echoed throughout the air, a ball of light rising up and speeding away from the castle as it flew into the night sky.

Clicking his tongue in distaste, the blue-haired spearsman sighed at the missed opportunity for a battle. Then again, having seen Rider's injured arm, it probably wouldn't have been much fun at all.

"Sis, are you okay? He didn't hurt you did he!?"

Caules quickly went over to older sister kneeling beside her.

"No, I'm fine. Don't worry about me Caules."

Fiore did her best to smile for her brother, trying to assure him but failed in doing so as it was clear to the young man that it was a fake smile. As such, he couldn't help but ask.

"What happened? Where's Archer...?"

When his sister turned her head away with tears in her eyes, the young man's eyes widened as he quickly figured out what that meant. His eyes were now filled with sorrow for the green-haired Archer. Although they were destined to fade away eventually, he came to like Archer, Rider, and Berserker.

Clenching his fist, he couldn't help but wonder that if that maybe if they gotten here sooner, then Archer would still be alive!

"So then... how are you holding up?"

"I'm fine. Really, I am. I just needed a moment is all."

Wiping away her tears, Fiore knew that this wasn't time for grief. Right now, they still had to defend the castle.

"Let's go find the others then." She stated, rising up through the use of her mystic code. "Lord El-Melloi II and Mr. Shishigou should be with Uncle Gordes and Aunt Celenike right now. We should go on support them in any way we can."

"Lead the way then little lady." Lancer smiled.

* * *

Looking towards the other person in the room that she recognized, Manaka smiled at Shirou as she began speaking to him.

"Hey there Ruler-kun, it's been a while hasn't it?" She waved at him. "You've been really busy these past few years haven't you?"

"I suppose I have. And what of you little lady? You're as youthful as the day you died."

"Ehehehe~! Don't be silly, people only die when they're killed~!" Manaka giggled. "Tell me something, are still trying to grant that silly wish of yours?"

"I wouldn't call it silly, considering that what I aim for is the salvation of the world." Shirou replied, narrowing his eyes at the girl. "Why do you ask? Do you wish to join me? I'm afraid I have no intention of teaming up with a witch such as yourself."

"Eh!? How cruel~!"

"You're one to talk." Arthur stated as the former looked at him. While he had no intention of defending his former Master, he couldn't stay quiet either. "Considering that you were planning on utilizing that abomination yourself-"

"I would've been able to purify it." The young priest replied firmly before gesturing to himself. "Just where do you think this body of mine came from? Most certainly it wasn't the result of my own determination bringing forth a miracle."

Arthur widened his eyes in realization, finally figuring out just how in the world Shirou had managed to survive all these years.

"I see... so that means-"

"Not what you're thinking." The young man quickly replied. "Like I said, I was able to purify the corruption that stained my new body. Being a man of god has its benefits."

"Hmm~! So the grail gave you a new life too huh?" Manaka clapped her hands smiling. "I suppose that makes us allies then right~?"

"No." Shirou deadpanned.

Jeanne really didn't like the idea of being in the dark any longer, not with the talk taking place between Arthur, Shirou, and Manaka. She was the mediator of the Holy Grail War, summoned by none other than the grail itself. As such, she had a right to know as well, even if it was only a little.

"Arthur, just what happened before? Just what are you all talking about?"

"That's..."

Arthur began but didn't know where to start, his Master's stare only serving to further enforce his inability to do so. He really should have just told her everything last time.

"Now, now, Ruler-chan, you have to be patient before you can start to understand everything." The young girl stated before she paused for a moment. "Now that I think about it, there are two Rulers... I'll guess I'll just refer to you both as Shirou-kun and Jeanne-chan then."

Both said people raised a brow at this, wondering if the girl was trying to mess with them by referring to both with rather friendly Japanese suffixes. The smile on the young blonde's face didn't exactly help their understanding of her either.

Mordred herself was curious to know more about the girl. Having been attacked by her earlier, she would've gladly returned the favor if not for the fact that there were other enemies present, most especially that black giant known as Berserker. Whoever he was, one look at him was enough to tell her that he was quite powerful.

Manaka quickly walked up the grail once more, standing right in front of it as the others eyed her carefully.

"Back on topic, you said you wanted to grant that silly wish of yours right?" Manaka asked as she allowed her gaze to fall upon the white-haired priest. "That wish really does sound like a childish fairy tale you know... but I suppose that's what makes it desirable. People just can't help but strive in trying to do the impossible."

"What would be your point?" Shirou demanded, crossing his arms.

"Tell me something, just what do you think the grail  _is_  in the first place?" The girl replied, and that was enough to catch Shirou's attention.

"And what do you mean by that?"

"People say that it's something that can provide happiness to whoever wields it, bringing eternal joy to them." Manaka began, gazing at the Greater Grail. "But that's all rubbish don't you think? Taking a look at the history of the grail, it's been wrought with blood all the way by people trying to find it."

"That's..."

Indeed, there was truth in the girl's words, something Jeanne couldn't help but agree with herself. Just how many lives were lost in the past trying to acquire it?

"So then, for people to call it a wish granting device that can create miracles... that's a bit mistaken don't you think?"

"Sometimes sacrifices are needed to bring forth a miracle." Julian suddenly spoke up. "Just what are you getting at little girl?"

"Ah, but that's mistaken as well." Manaka stated. "It's called a miracle for a reason. If it needs something like a sacrifice in order for it to perform it, then how can that ever be called a miracle? That simply defeats the purpose of what a miracle is supposed to be."

"We're not here to debate this matter." Shirou firmly stated. "Just tell us what you desire and be done with it."

"Geez, you people have no patience at all~" The young blonde pouted cutely. "Alright then, I'll tell you..."

A smile grew on the young blonde's face.

"What I want, is to use the grail for what it was made for."

For some reason, Jeanne felt a sense of foreboding. The young saint instinctively knew that whatever came out of Manaka's mouth next, it wasn't something she was going to like hearing about.

"In the first place, the grails being used in Holy Grail Wars are nothing more than cheap imitations of the original. And the original itself was based on the blueprints taken from a cardinal who copied it from the original framework that was being kept by the Church in the early nineteenth century. He sold it to the Einzbern, peddling it as something that was able to help them retrieve their lost magic Heaven's Feel. But in reality, it's not..."

Taking another moment to gaze at the grail behind her, Manaka continued.

"Originally, the Holy Grail War's purpose is to summon forth the Beast of Revelation."

At that, the young saint's eyes widened in shock as did Mordred's. The Holy Grail War was originally designed for what...!?

Looking towards her friend, Jeanne saw Arthur narrow his eyes at his former Master. It was enough to tell her that he knew about it as well, and it looks as though that Shirou and his ally Julian had known too.

"You're lying!" Mordred called out, unable to believe it. "That's ridiculous...! That's the Holy Grail War's true purpose!?"

"But it's not a lie." Manaka replied, smiling at the red knight. "Over two hundred years ago, the foundation for what became the holy grail originally started out as a ritual to summon the beast, designed by the cardinal who copied and modified it from the original framework. His plans fell short when the Einzbern discovered what he did, and after killing him, they redesigned the ritual altogether with the Tohsaka and the Makiri to suit their needs."

"Then you're wrong." Jeanne stated in response. "Even if that was the case, the fact is that the Holy Grail was redesigned. As such, the grail war's purpose is still to grant wishes to those who prove themselves worthy of it."

"But I'm not wrong." The girl's smile grew wide as she gazed at the older blonde. "The thing is, despite being redesigned, it's still possible for the grail to summon the beast. All it would need is for someone to restore it to its original setting is all."

"But that's just...!" The young saint couldn't believe what she was hearing, Mordred most especially.

If so, then her wish... everyone's wishes...! They wouldn't come true then!?

"That would explain what happened sixty years ago..." Shirou muttered to himself. He always wondered just how in the world Manaka managed to corrupt the grail to such a degree back then. If she knew about the grail war's original purpose, then that explained it.

But, the question right now is why...?

"Manaka, just why do you wish to summon the Beast?"

Stepping forward, Arthur asked the question that was on everyone's minds. Back then, he didn't really bother to waste time asking his former Master why she desired to summon it. He just decided then and there that he wouldn't allow her to sacrifice anymore of the children that day.

Now though, he had the opportunity to ask.

"Why? Well because I'm tired of hearing stories about the grail granting wishes of course. None of it is true anyway, you think so too don't you Saber~?"

Indeed, Arthur had to admit he didn't really believe in the idea of the Holy Grail in the first place. That there could be such a holy artifact in spite of the fact that searching for it has led to the deaths of those would seek after it. But, if it was as powerful as it was said to be, he ended up desiring it nonetheless.

"Besides, the Beast can help you with your wish too Saber~! I just know it can~!"

"How does summoning an abomination such as the Beast help me with my wish!?"

The young man demanded from Manaka, for he was actually curious to hear the logic behind her insane words.

"Before creation must come destruction, isn't that the law that this world of ours lives by?" She asked, tilting her head cutely. "You want to create a world where your kingdom never fell didn't it? If so, you must destroy the current world first before you can do that."

"What I want is for the salvation of those I failed." Arthur retorted. "Not once have I ever wished to sacrifice the living world for it!"

"Aah~ But that's not possible..." Manaka shook her head. "Doing it like that, there's no guarantee of it being granted."

Really now, why did Saber have to be so stubborn?

"Tell me something Sajyou Manaka." Shirou suddenly called out to the young girl. "Do you intend to use this grail to summon the beast?"

"Why would I do that? I already have one that can do it."

"...!"

Both Arthur and Shirou widened their eyes at this. She couldn't possibly be talking about the original? Both were sure that the former had destroyed it!

"But, seeing as how you want to use the grail, I have no problem letting you take this one." Manaka continued as she decided to lay a hand upon the floating construct. "Even if you did use it, your wish is something that's-"

...!

Her eyes quickly widened up in surprise the moment her hand came into contact with the greater grail.

"This is...!"

This was certainly new. Though it functioned like the original, there was something about it that made the greater grail far different compared to its predecessor. Using her abilities, she tried accessing it further. But...

_'I can't get through...?'_

Now this was something of interest to the young blonde. This was the first time she had ever encountered something that even she couldn't bypass. As such, she couldn't help become curious about what made the greater grail different compared to the original.

With that...

"I changed my mind, I'm going to take this with me~" Manaka stuck her tongue out in an apologetic manner.

"I don't think so... Lancer, come!"

Glowing bright red, a Command Spell disappeared off Shirou's arm as the white-haired demigod appeared within a flash of energy. Even with the barrier that was set up, a Command Spell had the ability to temporarily bypass the laws of space-time if it needed to. As such, the Invincible Hero managed to appear at his Master's call.

"Yes? My battle with Lancer of Red is not done yet." Karna asked.

"We have more pressing issues." Shirou replied.

Once the young girl laid her eyes upon the newcomer, she smiled. She had watched from the distance his earlier battle with Lancer of Red, and one thing was for sure, Karna was indeed a powerful warrior despite holding back a great deal.

"Eliminate her!"

"Alright then."

With no second thoughts, the white-haired demigod charged with his spear at the ready. Despite the danger, Manaka didn't move and merely smiled in response.

...!

* * *

"Ah, it's about time you lot got here."

Once the group turned a corner within the castle, they came across the duo of Waver and Kairi standing together with the duo of Saber of Black and Rider of Black.

"Wait, what happened here...!?"

On the floor next to them, Gordes and Celenike could be found lying in a pool of blood. And that was a tell-tale sign that both were now dead.

"They surrounded us... even though both me and Saber are strong, there were just too many of them and they got past us." Astolfo muttered, disappointed in himself at being unable to protect his Master. Despite their rocky relationship, Celenike was still someone he swore to protect as a Servant, and he couldn't even do that.

Siegfried felt the same, taking a blanket given to him by one of the homunculi servants and placed it over the remains his Master, prompting the young paladin to do the same for his own Master.

"Master!"

Caules flinched when he heard Berserker's familiar voice and soon found himself being tackled from behind. Luckily enough, he was able to stand his ground.

"Ahaha~! I knew you were still alive. As expected of my pig!"

"Who are you calling a pig!? And get off me!" The young man demanded in annoyance.

"Hahaha! Oh let her be boy, she's just happy to see you!"

From down the hallway where Elizabeth came from, Rider of Red appeared while walking towards the group with a large grin on his face.

"I was wondering when you'd come back. What happened up there?" Waver asked.

"Aside from cleaning out those flying skeletons of theirs, we couldn't do much against that flying fortress, not with just the two of us that is." Rider explained. "Not long after that, their attacks suddenly stopped. We waited it out a little while but nothing happened. It was as though something happened down here, so we decided to check."

"Is that okay? I mean, what if they attacked now?"

"If they did, they already would've done it. Something must be happening where the grail is at. Ruler and the King of Knights are there correct?"

"Indeed, they are still there."

Turning to look at the source of the voice, the group saw a hooded woman walking towards them with a ginger-haired boy right beside her.

"Roche, you're alright...!" Fiore smiled in relief.

"You have to thank teacher for that. Without her, I would've been killed by Assassin." The boy said, directing a smile towards the Servant of Magic.

"Hoho~? So you're Caster of Black then? It's an honor to finally meet you." Rider greeted.

"And the same goes for me King of Conquerors." Medea bowed courteously. "While exchanging pleasantries would be nice, there's still the matter of dealing with the newcomer that has taken hold of the grail."

"So Kotomine did get it...!"

"No, he didn't." Medea replied surprising the others. "Someone else has taken it, and currently she's still speaking with both Ruler and Saber. Whoever she is, she's not of ordinary blood. She has so far shown command over a Berserker-Class Servant, whose identity happens to be Heracles."

"Wait, you mean that Heracles...?!" Caules exclaimed in shock. One of the greatest Greek heroes to ever live, and he was summoned as a Berserker?! Whose bright idea was it to summon him as that of all things?!

"Indeed, the one and only." Medea nodded, frowning somewhat at the prospect of facing someone such as the son of Zeus. "Not only that, there's another piece of news you people should know. Lord Darnic and Lancer have both perished in battle."

That information was enough to silence everyone, most especially Fiore, Caules, and Roche.

"Uncle is... dead?"

Elizabeth muttered, unable to believe that someone as strong as Lancer was had been killed. Narrowing her eyes and gritting her teeth, she grabbed Medea by the collar.

"Who was it...!? Just who killed him!? I'll rip out their intestines and make a sweater out of it!"

"H-Hey Berserker calm down!" Caules quickly stated. "Getting angry at Caster won't help at all!"

Hearing logic in her Master's words, the Servant of Madness released her hold on her ally, clenching her hands into fists.

This was the first time Caules had seen Berserker so angry. If he had to say something, then perhaps it would've been normal considering that she was a Berserker-Class Servant. It obviously wasn't however, as he knew that the Servant of Madness was taking the death of Lancer hard. Did she really come to like him that much? Given that Berserker called him uncle for some reason, then perhaps she really did.

"I'll tell you later who it was. Now then, according to Lord Darnic's will." Medea began, catching the attention of everyone. "Lady Fiore, according to your grandfather's will, you are to become the next head of the Yggdmillennia family should anything happen to him."

Fiore expected as much, as did Caules and Roche. The young brunette had always been their grandfather's favorite heir among their entire clan. Together with Fiore's own natural talent as a magus, it would've been a greater shock if she didn't become the next head.

While she still believed she needed more time to prepare, Fiore knew that time had already run its course. Right now, it was her duty as her grandfather's chosen successor to lead their family. And with that said...

"Very well, I shall accept this role."

She stated, her eyes filled with resolution. Seeing this, Waver couldn't help but smile somewhat. During her time studying at the Clock Tower, he had remembered Fiore as being rather meek for a magus. But from the way her eyes looked, he could see determination in them. Though not immediately obvious, it was something all magi shared in their pursuit of the Root. And the ability to see things through to the end in itself was a virtue. It reminded him a certain someone he knew...

"Hahaha! Well said girl, that's the spirit!" Iskandar stated with a smile.

And said person was praising Fiore with a huge grin on his face.

"In that case, onto the second order of business." The Servant of Magic stated as she turned her gaze towards Siegfried and Astolfo. "With the deaths of Lord Gordes and Lady Celenike, both Saber and Rider are without Masters. We have to rectify that soon, even with them having mana supplied to them by the homunculi."

Well that sounded familiar to Waver, remembering that his former teacher Kayneth had used a similar method with his then fiance Sola-Ui. She provided the mana and he acted as the commander. Too bad for both it didn't really help them in the long run.

"I shall take command of Saber. Is that alright with you?" Fiore asked the dragon slayer who remained silent. But soon enough, the Siegfried smiled and nodded at the brunette's request.

"I see, thank you Saber." Fiore smiled in return. "That just leaves Rider... but I don't know who should take him. Caules has Berserker and Roche has Caster.""

"Excuse me."

Once again hearing another voice call out, the group looked to see a male homunculus standing down the hallway. It was someone that Rider was well acquainted with.

"Sieg!"

The young paladin quickly ran over to his friend, the white-haired homunculus smiling somewhat at the exuberant joy that pink-haired warrior exhibited.

"Thank goodness you're alright! Assassin didn't try anything on you?"

"One of them did, but I managed to drive him off with this..."

With that said, Sieg raised his right arm and soon enough it transformed into a strange looking claw like appendage. In fact, it looked to be draconic in nature.

"Oh my, it seems the procedure we did was quite successful." Medea commented, honestly surprised by the results.

"So cool! What else can you do~?"

At that, wings sprouted upon Sieg's upper back, followed up by him suddenly breathing fire causing those who present to look in awe.

All except Elizabeth herself who crossed her arms and began pouting.

"What's the big deal? I can do that too. Except maybe for the fire breathing part that is..." She muttered while sulking somewhat in annoyance.

"So then, why did you come here Sieg?"

"I overheard you all talking about Rider lacking a Master, and I was hoping that you all might explain this..."

Rolling up the left sleeve of his shirt, Sieg revealed a rather surprising mark on his forearm...

"Wait, that's...!"

Said mark was none other than a Command Spell.

* * *

The sound of metal clashing against metal echoed throughout the room.

"Hehe~!"

"That's...!"

From the moment Arthur had seen Berserker land right in front of them and Manaka's appearance, he had suspected that the same could be said about his fellow Servants from sixty years ago, the person that was parrying Karna's attack confirmed it.

...And she was someone he had personally slain back then.

"Aah~ How wonderful. You remind me a little of that person~"

There stood an woman incredible of such beauty that her looks could've only belonged to that of a goddess. Wearing a short black dress covered in rather exotic looking armor, her long white and teal hair flowed freely behind her. The woman smiled at her foe, a light blush on her face.

"Brynhild...!"

Jeanne muttered aloud the identity of the newest Servant to enter the fray. A woman having become famous for her tragic love story with the hero known as Sigurd, she was a formerly a divine spirit up until she was cast away by her father Odin after having defeated a champion he had blessed.

"Hehe~!"

"...!"

Karna suddenly found himself being pushed back a great distance by the Valkyrie. He was completely taken aback by how easily his foe was able to perform such a feat.

"I should've known...!"

Shirou muttered as he readied both his katanas. The white-haired priest could only wonder to himself just when Manaka had summoned the former goddess into the room when he didn't even sense anything nor did she even use a Command Spell as far as he knew.

Looking at Shirou, Brynhild smiled as she recognized him. Once she laid her eyes upon Arthur however, her smile widened even more.

"It's been a while, hasn't it Saber~? The last I remember, you drove your blade so very deep into me~"

"I did, and I see that you're looking no worse for wear." The white knight casually replied, readying himself in case the teal-haired Valkyrie decided to attack. "I suspect that you wish to continue where we left of then? Not that I mind I suppose."

"Unfortunately, we can't do that right now. Perhaps one day~"

For some reason, Jeanne couldn't help but feel herself shake in annoyance at the way their talk with one another other played out. She knew well enough that what they were talking about, but the way they said it was just...

_'Wait, why am I even reacting like this...?'_

While the young saint pondered said thought, Manaka too felt the same. She would need to have a word with Lancer later. She then gazed at her beloved prince, speaking.

"Saber, you won't be coming with me will you?"

"No, never again." Arthur replied resolutely.

"It's because Jeanne-chan's your Master now isn't it?" She said, frowning darkly at the other blonde for a moment, to the point that Jeanne expected her to attack again.

To her surprise, she didn't. Instead, the girl smiled brightly again as she continued speaking.

"Oh well, I suppose that can't be helped. It's not like it matters anyway, I know that you'll eventually come around."

Placing a hand back onto the greater grail, the floating construct emitted a single pulse for a moment before it suddenly began shrinking, to the point that it was about the size of the young girl's hand. Fitting perfectly in the blonde's palm.

Those who saw this couldn't but be astounded by how casually she had just performed the act. It was something that would've taken several highly skilled magi to perform, otherwise doing such things could've resulted in accidents.

"For now, I'll be taking this." Manaka spoke once more as the greater grail disappeared from her hand. "Saber, your enemies with Shirou-kun right now right? Then once you beat him, you can come find me and we can be together again just like before!"

At that, she then turned to face Shirou.

"As for you Shirou-kun. If you can actually defeat Saber, then I'll give you back the greater grail as a reward." She stated much to the white-haired priest's surprise. "In fact, I think I'll give to anyone who wins this war."

"You expect me to believe such nonsense?"

"It's up to you whether or not you'll believe me." Manaka shrugged. "It's not like I expect you to win anyway since you can't Saber~!"

Shirou narrowed his eyes at the young blonde as did Arthur. It was obvious that she was goading for them and their groups to fight against each other. Truth be told, they already were. But now, things were different.

At least... that was what Arthur had believed.

"Very well then, I'll take you up on that offer."

"You can't be serious!" Arthur demanded as he pointed Excalibur at Shirou. "You should know what she's trying to do, yet you choose to continue fighting against us?!"

"Of course. After all, we are still enemies." The young man stated in reply. "Even if we were to temporarily ally ourselves with one another, it would never work out."

"You don't know that unless we try!" Jeanne added.

"And then what? What shall we do afterwards?" The white-haired priest asked. "In the end, I am an outsider whose actions have clearly broken the rules of the grail war, as are most of my associates. As a mediator, your duty is to punish those would break the rules. Whether or not I work with you shall not change that. As such, I find no benefit in aiding any of you when eventually we would go back to being enemies."

The young saint couldn't believe it. Was he really someone who would jeopardize everything just so he could attain his wish? Didn't he wish to bring salvation to the world?

"Sajyou Manaka, be prepared. For one day, I'll take the grail back from you!"

"Ehehehe~! Sure, I'm looking forward to it if you can even make it that far." Manaka giggled. "Oh, if you want to leave, you can go right ahead. I've already told Caster to take down the barrier now."

Arthur's eyes widened once more. Manaka had control of Caster as well?

"Is that so? Come Julian." Shirou stated as he called out to Assassin at the same time.

"You bastard, are you sure about this?" The young man demanded. "If we take care of that girl now, then the grail is well within reach!"

"I know that, but we cannot afford to win as we are now." Shirou replied, gazing at Manaka. "Having seen both Berserker and Lancer, and her saying that she has Caster on her side, I can safely assume that the other four Servants that fought in the grail war sixty years ago are under her command as well. One of them in particular is quite strong, and we would need to gather all the resources we can in order to take him down."

Seeing the troubled look on his face, Julian felt rather incredulous at this. Despite having summoned Karna, he wondered what kind of Heroic Spirit could cause such a reaction in his ally, who was normally calm a figure if somewhat emotional at times.

"Tch! Fine, have it your way." He replied in distaste. "Assassin, we're done here."

With that, the two boys quickly disappeared in a flash of light together with Karna and the Assassins.

Not long after that, the flying fortress that was the Hanging Gardens of Babylon quickly began flying away from the castle, its form fading away into the night sky as observed by those left in the chamber.

Turning her head, Manaka laid her eyes upon Arthur once more.

"You're really not coming with me Saber...?" She couldn't help but ask again. Although he already gave his answer, she found that there was no harm in trying again.

"No matter how many times you ask, my answer will stay the same." Arthur replied, somewhat taken aback by the girl's honestly disappointed reaction.

"It's because you're loyal to your new Master." The young blonde stated before smiling. "It's one of your virtues I suppose, it's one reason why I love you so much~!"

Arthur frowned at this, unamused by the girl's words as he shook his head.

"Oh well, I guess I really will leave you for now." She stated as Heracles appeared right next to Manaka and Brynhild. "I'm looking forward to seeing how you'll eventually defeat Shirou-kun and his friends. Don't disappoint me now~!"

A portal appeared behind the trio, one that was filled with darkness. Heracles went in first, followed by Brynhild who waved Arthur goodbye. Soon, it was Manaka's turn to enter the void. Before doing so, she turned back to gaze one last time at her beloved prince.

"I'll be looking forward to the day we can be together again, Saber~"

With that, Manaka entered the void and it closed, leaving the trio to themselves.

* * *

"Father..."

Mordred muttered quietly to herself, gazing at the back of her father. After everything that happened, she didn't know how to react. Knowing that the grail wouldn't have been able to grant her wish, nor anyone's for that matter... what did it left them with?

She searched for an answer in the only person she believe could have them.

Mordred had a number of questions to ask him, such as if it was true if the girl known as Manaka really was his former Master. And if so, what happened between the two of them in the past? Had he known about the secret behind the grail? And...

_"Mordred, move!"_

Curling her hands into fists, she knew that as much as she wanted to ask these questions, seeing her father's back was enough to tell her that he wasn't going to be answering any of them anytime soon. With everything that's happened, it wasn't-

...!

At this, she blinked in surprise. Just when did it happen?

Mordred would be the first person to admit that she was a rather violent muscle-brained idiot, something that she would admit only to herself that is. As such, she couldn't help but wonder to herself...

Just when did she become considerate of her father...?

"Mordred..."

She froze up slightly in surprise when she heard her father calling out to her.

"I know that you have your questions, and I'll answer any you want answered..." He began, turning to look at his offspring. " But right now, I want you to check on the others first. Go make sure that your Master is alright. I need to have a word with my own Master first in private."

"R-Right." The red knight obeyed, a rather uncharacteristic thing for her to do all things considered. She then quickly turned around, ready to leave.

"And Mordred," Arthur called out one last time, smiling. "You fought well today."

The red knight was glad that her back was to her father, otherwise, she probably would've died of embarrassment if he had seen the expression on her face right now. Saying nothing in response, she quickly ran in order to find her Master.

Jeanne couldn't help but smile as she saw this. Though a slow process, parent and child were mending the broken bond between the two of them, even if it they didn't seem to realize it themselves. It seemed reconciliation was something that was possible after all.

"I'm sure you have many questions as well." Arthur smiled crookedly at the young saint.

"Only one right now." Jeanne replied. "Did you know about the grail?"

Knowing that this was coming, Arthur sighed to himself as he replied.

"Yes I did, and I'm sorry."

"Why are you apologizing?"

"Because I committed a grave error, one that I'm quite ashamed of now." The white knight clenched his hands into fists, staring at the ground in the process. "Back when you first summoned me, I had every intention of betraying you if the grail here in Trifas was as corrupt as the one I had seen sixty years ago."

Jeanne's eyes widened slightly in surprise at this, unable to speak as her companion continued.

"I couldn't allow what nearly happened back then to repeat itself. Anyone who would chose to get in my way, I would have struck them down, even my own Master. Those were my thoughts when I decided to accept your summons, a Servant who was summoned by the grail itself."

Raising his head, he smiled somewhat at the girl.

"However, I know now that I was mistaken. It's clear to me that you are not one to ever support something like the Beast. But I would understand if you chose to be angry with me for believing as such, and so-"

"Hehe, why would I be angry with you?"

Smiling sweetly at Arthur, who looked mildly surprised by her words, Jeanne continued.

"Arthur, you don't have to apologize to me about that." She began. "You merely believed that you were doing the right thing, I cannot fault you for thinking that, not when you did it with the best intentions. In fact, had I been in your position, I may have done the same thing as well."

"But still-"

He felt two fingers prod themselves upon his forehead. No sooner than that, Jeanne flicked her friend while giggling to herself.

"There's your punishment. Normally, I'd poke your eyes out. So be grateful okay~?"

Taken aback by her action, Arthur couldn't help it as he started laughing.

"What's so funny?"

"It's nothing." The blonde male replied, calming himself down. "I really should've expected by now that you wouldn't get mad at me. You're just that type of person."

"What kind of person?"

"Straightforward and kind, a charming girl." Arthur stated, causing the young saint to blush slightly.

"Really now, do you have to say it like that?"

"I'm telling the truth." The white-knight replied, unaware of that such words come of as flirting to some, something that the young saint thought.

Jeanne sighed at this, having gotten used to her friend's tendencies by now much like he had gotten used to her.

"Listen Arthur, I-"

Before she knew it, the young saint collapsed to the ground. Before she passed out, Jeanne could hear Arthur's worried cries for her.

Unknown to the duo, from atop the edge of the hole leading into the chamber, a small creature with white fur had observed them both with interest.

* * *

"Are you sure it's wise to have Saber roam free from us?"

Back within there cave dwelling, Brynhild stated her question the young girl that now served as her Master.

"Are you doubting me Lancer?"

The young blonde asked as she sat down upon her throne of skulls. She should really get something else to replace it with. Skulls did not make for comfortable seats!

"It's not that, but I am worried that with him roaming free, he would eventually turn his blade against us." The teal-haired Valkyrie stated. "Wouldn't have it been simpler to just take him by force? Is that not what you desired?"

"I want Saber on my side, but wouldn't it be best if he came along willingly?" Manaka retorted. "Besides, Saber will join us eventually. He's my prince after all~!"

"Hah! A delusional little girl you are. Knowing the King of Knights, he would never join our group."

"Is there something you wish to say Rider?"

Materializing from spirit form, a black-haired male with tan skin appeared in front of Manaka. Together a white flowing cape, the newcomer wore golden jewelry and armor over his arms, legs, and neck. For his bottoms, he wore black pants and sandals. His clothes were all Egyptian in theme, which made sense considering who he was.

Ramesses II... who was otherwise known by name of Ozymandias, the King of Kings.

"Nothing at all. I'm merely looking forward to day that he and I can meet again." Ramesses replied with a smirk. "It would be quite an interesting event if I were to do battle with him again, this time with his new allies."

"Well wait a little longer okay~? I can't have any of you going wild just yet."

Manaka sighed. Saber really was the best Servant. Before thinking about their enemies, he would always think about things such as her safety before he would do any battle. Not to mention that he was always a complete gentlemen. Rider had this condescending attitude to him, one that she couldn't really stand.

_'Saber... if only you were here~'_

With that, the young blonde began to daydream about her beloved prince... wondering about the day he would return to her.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And so ends CH15. And before any of you ask, yes, Manaka brainwashed the Servants under her command in order to make them subservient to her. It was the only I way I could think of including them without them being Alter-Servants (At least not yet ;D) as I felt them being edgelords at the very beginning of their appearances would be incredibly boring. And yes, Arthur-Alter will be a thing. Anyone who knows about Fate/Prototype should know this, as I intend to base it from there. But at the moment, it's still too early to actually include him into the mix.
> 
> About Manaka. When I began writing her, I imagined her as an unhinged person having become even more unhinged since Arthur's betrayal of her. I wanted to write someone who can alternate between fawning over Arthur, being the young girl that she is, and being a psychotic-loli-goddess within mere moments of each other. Did I succeed in that? Currently, she's not much a threat yet as she wants to see Arthur be the badass that he is first.
> 
> As for Sieg, think of Corrin from Fire Emblem Fates when he uses his dragon abilities. Default Male-Corrin actually resembles Sieg to an extent, hence my taking inspiration from him. The Mordred/Arthur scene above is basically just a spur of the moment kind of thing. Don't worry, Mordred will eventually be back to her usual self later on.


End file.
